The Matriarch (GI) - November 28, 2009

Bobby Frankels last wish came true Saturday as odds-on favorite Ventura won the $300,000 Matriarch at Hollywood Park, completing a Grade I double for the late Hall of Fame trainers stable.

Frankel, who died of lymphoma on Nov. 16, asked Juddmonte Farms to delay her retirement following the Breeders Cup, confident she could go out a winner in The Matriarch.

With two-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Garrett Gomez keeping Ventura within striking distance of dangerous front-runner Tuscan Evening, she easily took control in the stretch while running one mile on the Lakeside Turf Course in a stakes record 1:33.58 to win by 1 ¾ lengths.

The victory came on the second day of Hollywood Parks 18th Turf Festival — one day after Fluke scored a 9-1 upset for the Frankel stable in the $300,000 Citation Handicap.

Humberto Ascanio, assistant to Frankel for 35 years, was the trainer of record, but he wasnt concerned with personal accolades as he notched the first two official stakes wins of his career.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Ventura
• Matriarch
• Garrett Gomez
• Bobby Franfel
• Humberto Ascanio
• Juddmonte Farms

[GBeret83]

This is the last race that Tuscan Evening was beaten in. Finishing 2nd to Ventura. Since, she's reeled off 6 straight win's.

[GBeret83]

I like the mare Tuscan Evening. I think she's really flourished since coming to America from racing in the UK. But anytime you see the pink and green silks in a race, you know it's a Khalid Abdullah horse. So you know it's race fit, and capable of winning the race. Which Ventura did here. I think the worldwide stable of horses that Prince Khalid Abdullah owns is second to no one else's stable anywhere in the world. TJMO.

[GBeret83]

@MulanayQ, I couldn't agree more with that statement. Ventura is a great, great mare. But running her in the F&M Sprint, IMO, was a mistake. That distance, over that surface, is Informed Decision's domain. I think Ventura will always have a tough time beating Informed Decision at sprint distances over synthetics. I think Ventura, by far, is best at a mile on turf. I agree. She's the one that could've made for a real competitor for Goldikova. JMO.

[MulanayQ]

my goodness, as great Ventura is, they should have run her against Goldikova in the Mile......it could have been a great race.....