Better Lucky pulled off a 35 to 1 shocker to land the Matriarch Stakes
Godolphin Racing’s 3-year-old filly, Better Lucky gave her connections yet another grade 1 victory in the 2012 season, when she romped to a 35 to 1 shocker to win the Grade 1, $250,000 Matriarch Stakes at Betfair Hollywood Park on the final day of Hollywood’s
turf festival.
In the 1 mile event on 25 November, 2012, the favourite at 8 to 5, Dayatthespa, in a field of eight fillies and mares, spooked under jockey Javier Castellano, and attempted to jump the fence, but came back the jockey was able to pull her back in the race,
as did Eddie Castro, who was aboard Better Lucky.
Eddie Castro and Better Lucky were right behind Dayatthespa, when she attempted to hop the fence, and Eddie avoided a big accident and kept Better Lucky calm.
When it all began to look straight, Better Lucky found herself five lengths adrift of the leader and pacesetter, Summer Soiree.
Racing on the backstretch, Summer Soiree was not budging, as she kept her lead entering the homestretch, but Better Lucky’s persistence paid off, when the pacesetter weakened with a furlong to go, and on cue, the duo capitalized.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing even then for Better Lucky, as she was going straight for the wire, Tiz Flirtatious, put in some long strides belatedly to catch the eventual winner, but couldn’t make for the distance, as she finished one length behind Better
Lucky, and Summer Soiree finished third.
"She got scared," said Javier Castellano, the rider on Dayatthespa, who was seeking her sixth consecutive win this year for trainer Chad Brown. "She got surrounded by other horses and she tried to jump the fence. That filly—she wasn't the same horse. She
lost the race right there."
Thomas Albertrani trained Better Lucky covered the distance in 1 minute and 34.18 seconds, and with that posted her third victory of the season.
"I had a good break, but I really got scared when (Dayatthespa) had trouble near the fence; after that I had a good trip," Castro said. "My filly gave me a real nice kick and that was good enough to win today."
Tags: