Matrooh Takes Bold Ruler at Belmont

Trainer Chad Brown wasn't just a big winner at Keeneland on Breeders' Cup Saturday.



Back home in New York, Brown trainee Matrooh was also an emphatic winner Oct. 31 in the Bold Ruler Handicap (gr. III) at Belmont Park, upsetting even-money favorite El Kabeir.



El Kabeir, in his first start since being scratched from the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), tracked the pace in third early but wasn't involved late, finishing a distant last in the five-horse field.



Shadwell Stable's Matrooh raced in fourth early, 1 3/4 lengths back as Green Gratto and Heaven's Runway dueled to fractions of :22.58 and :45.07 through a half-mile. The 5-year-old Distorted Humor   gelding moved four wide coming out of the turn, however, and pulled clear to win under jockey Abel Castellano, Jr., 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Mylute, who closed from last. Heaven's Runway held for third.



"I knew looking at the race on paper (that) a couple of horses would go for the lead and the plan was to sit right off it," Castellano said. "Thankfully, it worked out that way, and when I turned for home, I just swung him outside, and I know I had a little more horse and I was happy. I was worried about El Kabeir--he was outside of me and I thought he was in a good (position), but at the turn when he started to back up, that's when I came out and I got it done."



It was the first graded score for Matrooh, following a sixth-place finish in the Philip H. Iselin Stakes (gr. II) last time out at Monmouth Park. He now has a 5-0-1 record from 11 starts with $270,091 in earnings.



"We threw out his last race," said Cherie DeVaux, Brown's assistant. "He had to deal with a lot of kickback and got in a place he wasn't comfortable. Maybe he didn't like the track. He had been training very well heading into this race and looked great. We were more confident today."