NEWS
Folklore drives to 14-length romp in Matron
Posted: Saturday, September 17, 2005
Robert and Beverly Lewis's homebred Folklore left little doubt she is ready for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) as she took command after a half-mile and drove to an impressive 14-length victory in the $300,000 Matron Stakes (G1) on Saturday at Belmont Park.The bay daughter of two-time Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner Tiznow entered off a runner-up finish to Adieu in the Spinaway Stakes (G2) on August 26 at Saratoga Race Course. She has finished either first or second in each of her six career starts for Racing Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who won the Matron for the ninth time.
Peter Hutton, an assistant to Lukas, said Folklore should have no problem stretching out to 1 1/16 miles for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies on October 29 at the Elmont, New York, track.
"(Jockey) Edgar (Prado) said she was sharp–sharper than he expected her to be," Hutton said. "Wayne wanted her to be in a stalking position. I was nervous when she broke on top, but Edgar kept his cool and let the others go on and dictate the pace.
"She just took over," he said. "From day one, she's been nothing but class and she showed it today."
Showing good speed on the outside under Prado, who won his third consecutive Matron, Folklore rated in third as 1.15-to-1 favorite India and Halo Humor pushed each other through a blistering quarter-mile in :21.96.
Ranging up on the outside of her rivals, Folklore took over after a half-mile and took an ever-expanding ten-length lead into the stretch.
As India tired and the rest of her rivals failed to mount any sort of challenge, Folklore continued to drive down the lane to win by 14, covering seven furlongs in 1:23.70 on a fast track.
Maiden winner Miss Norman came wide in the stretch and charged home late to take second, a head in front of Buckram Oak Farm's homebred Along the Sea, who finished third in the Spinaway.
Folklore, who has won three of six starts and earned $376,300, is out of the Storm Cat mare Contrive.
Please see chart courtesy of Equibase at
http://www.equibase.com
