Godolphin Show Goes On With Matareya in Derby City
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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
Matareya finishes strong to win the Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs
Less than 24 hours after Pretty Mischevious' stirring victory in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) the Godolphin crescendo thundered on with Matareya 's score in the May 6 $750,000 Derby City Distaff (G1) at Churchill Downs.
The jubilation of the weekend wasn't lost on Godolphin's director of bloodstock, Michael Banahan, who spoke with great fervor of the operation's latest grade 1 winner.
"It's been a great two days so far and hopefully it hasn't finished yet. As you can tell from the sound of my voice, I'm losing it," Banahan said, smiling widely despite a hoarse and scratchy throat. "Matareya is a top, top sprinting filly. We were very hopeful coming in here today. (With the) seven furlongs, she loves this distance. She's a grade 1-winning filly already, she won the Eight Belles at Churchill last year so we knew she liked the track here."
WATCH: Banahan, Cox Talk Matareya's Derby City Distaff Win
The task coming into the Derby City Distaff wouldn't exactly be a cakewalk as Matareya would be facing defending champion female sprinter Goodnight Olive , fresh off a triumph in Keeneland's Madison Stakes (G1) last month, as well as renewing her rivalry with Winchell Thoroughbreds' Wicked Halo . Making her first start since last August, Matareya was second best by less than a length to Wicked Halo in the Matron Stakes, showing some slight rust in the final furlong.
Matareya (blue cap) on her way to winning the Derby City Distaff
"I was confident (she would improve in her second start off the layoff)," trainer Brad Cox said of Matareya, who made a striking appearance in the Churchill paddock prior to the Derby City Distaff, her bay flank rippling with muscle. "…Once we took the halter off she kind of just got on her toes and was giving good energy, not nervous energy. She was on her game today and she needed to be on it because she was up against a good group of fillies."
Under the hands of regular pilot Flavien Prat, Matareya broke sharply but took back just behind longshot Travel Column through an opening quarter in :22.07. Goodnight Olive, bet down at 1-2 odds when the windows closed, was immediately pinned down by Wicked Halo and Tyler Gaffalione on the inside fence in third. While Matareya remained in the clear throughout, pouncing on a tiring Travel Column at the top of the lane past a :44.50 half-mile, jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. was never able to maneuver Goodnight Olive outward for running room down the stretch.
"I was stuck, the entire way," a frustrated Ortiz said after the race. "I had no place to go. I couldn't get out of there. I had tons of horse, just no place to go."
Matareya, meanwhile, stormed to the front and maintained her advantage to the wire, holding sway by one length over Wicked Halo with Goodnight Olive in third.
Returning $12.12 on a $2 win ticket, Matareya raced the seven furlongs in a swift 1:21.87 over a fast main track.
"We had been pointing for this race for a while," Cox said. "Flavien (Prat) did a great job today getting her in a good early position. She was fast from the gate and then they kind of got away from her but Flavien did well to hold his position and get the jump on two very, very good fillies."
A third-generation homebred for Godolphin, Matareya is the second foal produced from the graded stakes winning Bernardini mare Innovative Idea . The Pioneerof the Nile filly notched her second top-level triumph on Saturday, having won the Acorn Stakes (G1) last year as a 3-year-old.
The winning connections of Matareya in the trophy presentation for the Derby City Distaff
"(Matareya is) just a very, very good filly," Banahan said. "We were disappointed last year after Saratoga when we had to give her time off and miss the Breeders' Cup but hopefully we'll get to the Breeders' Cup this year."
Though the Breeders' Cup World Championship remains the goal on the distant horizon, a rematch between the top three finishers of the Derby City Distaff could very well come later this summer in the seven-furlong Ballerina Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course. Goodnight Olive captured the race last year.
"The (Ballerina) would be a target race for her as well," Banahan said. "I think that Saratoga would be a perfect spot for her."
Video: Derby City Distaff S. presented by Kendall-Jackson Winery (G1)
MATAREYA wins the Derby City Distaff (GI) for @bradcoxracing with Flavien Prat!
Watch the exciting replay ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/ZVvwurHC0V— Churchill Downs (@ChurchillDowns) May 6, 2023