Matareya

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...

ELMONT, NY - With the late-arriving crowd still filing in as John Imbriale announced champion Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) as a stunning late scratch at the gate, Godolphin homebred Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile) showed no mercy on her three remaining rivals going a one-turn mile in Saturday's GI Acorn S. at Belmont Park. Matareya broke like a shot beneath Flavien Prat and led through an opening quarter in an easy :23.39. In cruise control and increasing her advantage as the quartet hit the quarter pole, Matareya was hand ridden down...

Godolphin's progressive Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile) parlayed a perfect inside trip into a facile success in Friday's $500,000 GII Eight Belles S. at Churchill Downs, the third winner of the event in the last six years for trainer Brad Cox. The homebred filly was away without incident and raced worse than centerfield through the opening exchanges, as Pretty Birdie (Bird Song) set what appeared to be a strong early tempo in advance of Marissa's Lady (Violence). Racing well off the rail down the chute, Matareya was deftly maneuvered by Flavien...

Godolphin's progressive Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile) goes for a third consecutive victory and second at the graded level when she lines up against nine sprinting sophomore fillies in Friday's GII Eight Belles S. at Churchill Downs. An easy first-out winner at Ellis last August, the homebred was second to Marissa's Lady (Violence) in this track's Fern Creek S. Nov. 27 ahead of a distant runner-up effort behind GI Longines Kentucky Oaks hopeful Secret Oath (Arrogate) in a one-mile Oaklawn allowance Dec. 31. The bay returned to winning ways with a...

Godolphin's Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile), bet hard throughout, ran to the money in Sunday's GIII Beaumont S. at Keeneland, picking up her first stakes win with a daylight romp against six overmatched rivals. Debuting with a smooth 4 1/2-length wire-to-wire score while geared down late Aug. 20 at Ellis, the homebred disappointed a bit when flattening out to fifth in the GI Darley Alcibiades S. on this strip Oct. 8. Finishing second as the favorite in the Fern Creek S. Nov. 27 at Churchill, the bay was a distant runner-up...

A field of seven sophomore fillies who made their most recent starts in Florida, New York, Kentucky and Louisiana converge at Keeneland for Sunday's GIII Beaumont S. Godolphin's Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile) was second in last November's Fern Creek S. at Churchill Downs to the now five-for-six Marissa's Lady (Violence) and then completed the exacta (albeit 8 1/4 lengths back) behind leading GI Kentucky Oaks candidate Secret Oath (Arrogate) in a one-mile Oaklawn allowance on New Year's Eve. She most recently shortened back up to a sprint to air in...

6th-Ellis, $51,000, Msw, 8-20, 2yo, f, 6 1/2f, 1:15.87, ft, 4 1/2 lengths. MATAREYA (f, 2, Pioneerof the Nile--Innovative Idea {GSW, $229,343}, by Bernardini), whose dam's signature win came in the 2016 GIII Groupie Doll S. here, was coupled in the wagering at 9-5 with Brendan Walsh-trained fellow Godolphin homebred  Dreamalot (Ghostzapper). Straight to the front, the bay doled out splits of :22.09 and :45.07 and turned for home in command. Dreamalot came with a fence run and briefly looked like she'd give Matareya a challenge, but the front-runner shut...