Matchmaker Offers Intriguing Matchup

The WinStar Matchmaker Stakes (gr. IIIT) on the William Hill Haskell Invitational (gr. I) undercard Aug. 2 at Monmouth Park offers the age-old handicapping dilemma of experience versus rising talent.

The nine-furlong race for fillies and mares is slated as race 9 on the 14-race program that features American Pharoah's first start since winning the Triple Crown.



The key players in the Matchmaker are graded winners Testa Rossi and I'm Already Sexy, who will face up-and-comer Casual Smile in the $150,000 Matchmaker. Casual Smile has drawn post 2 in the eight-horse field, while I'm Already Sexy and Testa Rossi will break from posts 5 and 6, respectively.



William S. Farish's homebred Casual Smile is by Sea The Stars, out of the grade I-placed Casual Look (by Red Ransom). She made a handful of starts in England at 2 and 3 with trainer Andrew Balding before shipping to the United States, where she was turned over to trainer Chad Brown.



She broke through May 24 in her Monmouth debut, taking a mile turf test in 1:34.84. She won an entry-level allowance race on the grass July 5 going 1 1/16 miles.



Hit The Board Stables' I'm Already Sexy won the Eatontown Stakes (gr. IIIT) in her Monmouth bow June 27. That start was on the heels of a hard-fought head loss to Kiss Moon in Churchill Downs' Mint Julep Handicap (gr. IIIT). Both races were at 1 1/16 miles.



The daughter of Ready's Image  —Klohho, by Trempolino, is a six-time stakes winner and won graded events on the turf at Arlington International Racecourse in 2013 and 2014. The 5-year-old is trained by Wayne Catalano, has won nine of 23 starts, and has earned $633,700, which tops in the lineup.



Testa Rossi, a French-bred daughter of Dr Fong—Peggy Lane, by Dancing Spree, is also trained by Brown. The 4-year-old won the Miss Grillo Stakes (gr. IIIT) at 2 and was the runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (gr. IT) at Santa Anita Park. Last year she won the Florida Oaks (gr. IIIT) and won the Lambholm South Endeavour Stakes (gr. IIIT) earlier this year via disqualifcation. She was second to the grade I-winning Coffee Clique last time out in the Dr. James Penny Memorial Handicap (gr. IIIT) July 4 at Parx Racing.



Lee Lewis' Baffle Me, sixth in the Penny Memorial has faced top company throughout the year and could be a danger under Mike Smith. The 6-year-old First Samurai   mare is trained by Mark Hennig.

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