Matareya

Trainer Brad Cox sent out a host of graded-stakes winners for workouts at Saratoga this weekend, including GI Coaching Club American Oaks winner Wet Paint (Blame), who is targeting Saturday's GI Alabama S. The Godolphin homebred posted her second work since her Oaks victory, covering five furlongs in 1:02.24 over the Oklahoma dirt training track in company with recent allowance winner and GSP Slip Mahoney. "1:02 and a super good work," said Cox. "She's been very steady and very good up here in the mornings. I like the way she...

Few horses in training could have matched motors Saturday with Peter Blum's Society (Gun Runner), who took the GIII Chicago S. by the scruff of the neck a few strides away from the gates and never gave any of her five rivals a chance, streaking home to score in new track-record time. Drawn one from the outside, the 2-1 second favorite hit the ground running and led narrowly through the opening stages from Drifaros (Kantharos) as odds-on Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile) was content enough to sit third behind the speed....

Two Phil's (Hard Spun), a too-good-to-lose second after racing on top of a hot pace in the GI Kentucky Derby, kicks off the second half of his season in Saturday's GIII Ohio Derby at Thistledown. The GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks winner has been firing bullets for trainer Larry Rivelli at Hawthorne since, including a five-furlong move in :59 (1/14) June 8. Jockey Gerardo Corrales will replace the injured Jareth Loveberry in the irons. 'TDN Rising Star' Bishops Bay (Uncle Mo), drawn one to the inside of the 8-5 morning-line favorite...

It was a banner weekend for Godolphin homebreds during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. Cody's Wish (Curlin) added another chapter to racing's feel-good story with a powerful, come-from-behind victory in the stallion-making GI Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan H. The GI Kentucky Oaks winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) validated her upset neck victory on the first Friday in May with a heart-stopping victory in the GI Acorn S. The up-and-coming Loved (Medaglia d'Oro)--a 4-year-old half-sister to MGISW and young Darley stallion Maxfield (Street Sense)--made it three straight...

11th-CD, $120k, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 7f, post time: 5:58 p.m. ET METHODOLOGY (Uncle Mo) is the latest foal to the races out of Grade III winner Innovative Idea (Bernardini), who took her career debut in 2014 who has since gone on to become the dam of Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile), victorious in the GI Acorn S. for the Brad Cox barn last season and a latest upset winner of the GI Derby City Distaff on the Kentucky Derby undercard May 6. Innovative Idea is a daughter of MGSW/GISP Golden Velvet...

From Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) getting Godolphin their first win in the GI Kentucky Oaks on Friday to Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile) and Cody's Wish (Curlin) both coming home with Grade I scores on Saturday, the first weekend in May was one for the books for Godolphin USA. The global racing powerhouse is coming off back-to-back Eclipse Awards for Outstanding Owner and Breeder, but Godolphin USA's Director of Bloodstock Michael Banahan said that this year's Derby weekend ranks near the top of the list of great weekends for the American...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- It was a tale of two trips as Godolphin homebred Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile) delivered a one-length victory over Wicked Halo (Gun Runner) in Saturday's GI Derby City Distaff to kick off the graded action on Kentucky Derby day at Churchill Downs. Heavily favored champion female sprinter Goodnight Olive (Ghostzapper) was a very unlucky third. Godolphin was victorious with the Brendan Walsh-trained Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) in Friday's GI Kentucky Oaks. Sheikh Mohammed's operation and Matareya's trainer Brad Cox finished fourth with the Oaks beaten favorite Wet...

Despite inclement weather in the Hot Springs area on Friday afternoon, Wicked Halo (Gun Runner) returned to action off the break and won the inaugural running of the Matron S. over a wet track with Tyler Gaffalione in-town to ride for the weekend. The 4-year-old filly was making her first start of the year for trainer Steve Asmussen after she ran third in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Keeneland Nov. 5. Prior to that, the classy sprinter strung together a number of stakes victories starting as...

Business Model (Candy Ride {Arg}-Innovative Idea, by Bernardini), a 4-year-old racing prospect, sold for $130,000 to Fergus Galvin, agent, to top the October Digital Selected Sale, which closed Tuesday afternoon. Godolphin, who bred and raced Business Model, consigned the gelding as Hip 20. A winner at three and four, the gelding has earnings of $146,993 to date. He entered the sale off a runner-up finish in allowance company at Churchill Downs Sept. 16. The 4-year-old is a half-brother to this year's GI Acorn S. winner Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile). "The...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency               7th-CD, $120K, Msw, 2yo, f, 7f, 3:50 p.m. Debuting in the royal blue Friday, METHODOLOGY (Uncle Mo) is the third foal out of GSW Innovative Idea (Bernardini), making her a half-sister to GI Acorn S. winner Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile). Further back in her family is GISW & sire Sky Mesa (Pulpit) and MGISW & Darley stallion Maxfield (Street Sense). In training with Brad Cox, Methodology has made her two most recent works over the Churchill main track and...

The 'Graveyard of Favorites' claimed another victim Saturday at Saratoga, as Joel Rosario guided Castleton Lyons' Chi Town Lady (Verrazano) to a last-to-first 17-1 upset of overwhelming favorite Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile) in the GI Longines Test S. at the Spa. Debuting with a three-length score last April at Keeneland, the chestnut went unseen for over four months, but returned with an impressive conquest of the Bolton Landing S. on turf. That had been her last trip to the winner's circle, however, as she concluded her juvenile campaign with a...

Hall of Famer Todd A. Pletcher, currently sitting in second place in the Saratoga trainer standings, will be locked and loaded in a pair of Grade I events at the Spa Saturday, led by the 'Win and You're In' GI Whitney S. With the unbeaten sensation and 'TDN Rising Star' Flightline (Tapit) awaiting the GI TVG Pacific Classic at Del Mar Sept. 3, a pair of New York-based heavyweights in the handicap division will throw down in the 12-race card's feature. The uber-talented 'TDN Rising Star' Life Is Good (Into...