Arella Rockstar Springs Upset in Matron

Arella Rockstar went from maiden claimer to grade III winner Oct. 16 at Belmont Park with a game victory over heavy favorite Cherry Lodge in the $200,000 Matron Stakes (gr. III). 

Stalking the pace of early leader Amapola early on, with Cherry Lodge to her outside, Arella Rockstar and the favorite rolled past the tired front-runner in the stretch and dueled to the wire.

A 2-year-old Astrology   filly owned by e Five Racing Thoroughbreds and Magic Cap Stables, Arella Rockstar edged away from her rival late to win by three-quarters of a length. She completed the six furlongs in 1:11.68 under jockey Luis Saez.

"That filly ran so big," Saez said. "When I got on, I was thinking, 'Man, she's all right.' When she broke from the gate, she was running. She never gave up."

A debut winner in August at Saratoga Race Course, Arella Rockstar was claimed from trainer Ralph Nicks by Rudy Rodriguez for $50,000 out of that race and immediately jumped into stakes competition.

"We just wanted to take a chance and find a race for this filly," Rodriguez said. "Once she broke her maiden, I didn't want to ship her out of town. I wanted to keep her home. The owners have been patient and I'm thankful they claim these types of horses."

Amapola ran the first quarter in :22.04 before Arella Rockstar put a head in front through a half-mile in :45.61. Five furlongs went in :58.40, with Arella Rockstar only a head in front of Cherry Lodge, who entered the race off a troubled third-place run in the Spinaway (gr. I) Sept. 3.

"I think she has a lot of guts," Rodriguez said. "She's a fighter. It looked like Cherry Lodge had her beat, but she had another gear."

The winner paid $27.20, $6.30, and $4.40 across the board. Cherry Lodge brought $2.60 and $2.10, while Todd Pletcher stablemate Spirituality delivered $3.10 to show.

Bred in Kentucky by Machmer Hall, out of the Old Fashioned   mare Story Untold, Arella Rockstar has $150,000 in earnings from her two victories.