Tamahere Gets Tested For Class in Matriarch

Tamahere (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) looks to become the first 3-year-old filly since Better Lucky (Ghostzapper) in 2012 to defeat older turf distaffers in what appears to be a loaded renewal of the GI Matriarch S. Sunday at Del Mar.

One of three in the race for trainer Chad Brown–who won this in 2017 and 2018–the bay filly was twice a winner in seven French runs for Francois Rohaut, including a listed event at La Teste in June. She made an enormous impression when making her stateside debut in the GII Sands Point S. at Belmont Oct. 10, lagging well off a modest tempo before rocketing home to score by a two-length margin that belies the ease with which it was accomplished. She gets three pounds from her elders and could get the race run to suit her closing style.

Sharing (Speightstown) also represents the sophomore set and trainer Graham Motion, successful in this event with Miss Temple City (Temple City) in 2016. The 2019 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf victress, the $350,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga grad won the Tepin S. first off the layoff in May, then was a very game second to the talented Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) in the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot June 20. Returned to the States, she proved too classy for her peers in the GII Edgewood S. on the Kentucky Oaks undercard, but faces her stiffest test to date against horses that are significantly faster on paper.

Joel Rosario is a four-time Matriarch winner-including the aforementioned Brown gallopers-and he has the call aboard the tepid 7-2 morning-line favorite Viadera (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}). A stakes winner in Ireland under the care of Ger Lyons, the 4-year-old was fourth to stablemate Newspaperofrecord (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) in the GIII Intercontinental S. in June, but has since bounced back to take the restricted De La Rose S. at Saratoga and comes off a neck defeat of stable companion Blowout (GB) (Dansili {GB}) in Belmont's GIII Noble Damsel S. Sept. 26.

Juliet Foxtrot (GB) (Dansili {GB}) led into the final furlong of last year's Matriarch, but was run down and forced to settle for third to Got Stormy (Get Stormy). The 5-year-old looks to follow up on a one-length tally in the GIII Gallorette S. at Pimlico Oct. 3 over yielding turf she never looked comfortable on.