NEWS
Ventura thrills crowd again with Matriarch victory
Posted: Saturday, November 28, 2009 8:35 PM
VENTURA
Benoit & Associates photo
To view the Matriarch Stakes, click here.
by Tim Nichols
Ventura gave her West Coast fans one final thrill on Saturday as she flashed her impressive turn of foot in the stretch en route to a victory in the $300,000 Matriarch Stakes (G1) on Saturday at Hollywood Park.
Juddmonte Farms’ homebred five-year-old Chester House mare gracefully accelerated past Tuscan Evening (Ire) in the stretch to secure her third Grade 1 win of the year.
The win was an emotional one for trainer Humberto Ascanio, an assistant to the late Racing Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel for more than 30 years. Frankel passed away on November 16 from lymphoma. The Matriarch was the second Grade 1 win in two days for Ascanio, who saddled Frankel’s former charge Fluke (Brz) to a win in the Citation Handicap (G1) on Friday at Hollywood.
“I wanted this one more, for him,” Ascanio said. “I wish she could stay one more year, but that’s the last call. And that’s why he wanted her in, he knew she was gonna win this one. They wanted to retire her a winner.”
Ventura covered the one mile on firm turf in a stakes-record 1:33.58 under a hand ride from jockey Garrett Gomez. Another Frankel charge, Precious Kitten, set the previous record of 1:33.63 in 2007.
Frankel won the Matriarch eight times with Precious Kitten, Price Tag (GB) (2006), Intercontinental (GB) (‘04), Heat Haze (GB) (‘03), Starine (Fr) (‘01), Happyanunoit (NZ) (1999), Ryafan (‘97), and Wandesta (GB) (’96).
As expected, multiple graded stakes winner Tuscan Evening took the initiative and led the field of six fillies and mares through a quarter-mile in :24.10 and a half-mile in :47.65 while Ventura raced in third under Garrett Gomez.
Tuscan Evening held her lead entering the stretch, but Ventura showed the class that enabled her to post four Grade 1 victories. She accelerated past the game pacesetter and drew off to win by 1¾ lengths as the 3-to-5 favorite.
“She’s just been amazing,” Gomez said. “She’s probably one of the best fillies I’ve ever ridden going a mile. Actually she is the best filly I’ve ridden going a mile. She has the most explosive turn of foot I’ve ever seen.”
Tuscan Evening finished second, a half-length in front of Grade 1 winner Diamondrella (GB).
Bred in Kentucky, Ventura closed her career with ten wins, eight seconds, and one third from 21 career starts with earnings of $2,580,375. She is one of six winners from seven starters out of stakes-placed winner Estala (GB), by Be My Guest.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Tim Nichols is internet content editor for Thoroughbred Times
