Flawlessly Runs Like Name : Hollywood Park: Filly trained by Whittingham puts herself in Eclipse picture with easy Matriarch victory.

After watching the replay of the $200,000 Matriarch, Chris McCarron made an observation difficult to debate.

“That looks like an Eclipse (Award) winner,” the jockey said.

McCarron wasn’t talking about Kostroma or Fire The Groom or eastern-based Miss Josh, all leading contenders for the title of champion female turf horse before Sunday’s Grade I at Hollywood Park.

Rather, he was talking about his mount, Flawlessly, who made a mockery of the Matriarch.

Second to Kostroma in last month’s Yellow Ribbon at Santa Anita, the 3-year-old Affirmed filly turned the tables in a big way Sunday.

Providing trainer Charlie Whittingham with his fifth victory in the Matriarch, Flawlessly dominated Fire The Groom, Kostroma and 11 others, winning by 1 3/4 lengths in 1:46 3/5 for the 1 1/8 miles.

Although it’s possible that Flawlessly’s upset, which paid $14.60, wrapped up the Eclipse for the Miss Josh, Whittingham’s bay filly certainly has a record worthy of the award. Flawlessly’s runnerup effort in the Yellow Ribbon was her only loss in six grass starts this year.

“She’s as good as any filly or mare in the country today racing on grass,” Whittingham said. “I think she has to have a look (at the Eclipse).”

McCarron, who has ridden Flawlessly in all six of her California starts, doesn’t think there’s any question who should win the Eclipse.

“She ran a huge race in the Yellow Ribbon and came back and ran an even bigger race today,” he said. “She’s only been beaten once this year. She’s been dancing since July, so . . . let’s put it this way, she’s got my vote.

Kostroma, well-positioned throughout by Kent Desormeaux, got the lead briefly in the stretch but put up no resistance when challenged by Flawlessly. Kostroma finished sixth as the even-money favorite.

Desormeaux took hold of her nearing the finish line, suggesting that all was not well with the 5-year-old mare. Trainer Gary Jones basically waved off reporters, and all her rider would say on his way out of the jockey’s room was “You’ll find out tomorrow.” Kostroma, who had won her three previous starts in 1991, has had problems in the past with her feet.

Much closer to the pace than usual, Fire The Groom, the 7-2 second choice, slipped through a hole along the rail to finish second by a half-length over 16-1 shot Free At Last. Sha Tha was a nose back in fourth.

“I had to steady her a little bit inside the eighth pole,” said Gary Stevens, who didn’t arrive at Hollywood Park until 3:15 after spending more than a week in Japan. “I had no room at all. I would have liked to have gotten out a little bit earlier, but I was in a bit of a box there and I couldn’t get out.

“When I did get through, she gave me a nice burst. I don’t think I was going to beat the winner anyway, today. She ran a huge race.”

Danny Sorenson, who rode Campagnarde, Whittingham’s other Matriarch starter, suffered a compound fracture of the tip of his right thumb after being thrown when the 4-year-old filly clipped heels and fell nearing the finish line.

Sorenson, who had replaced Pat Valenzuela, who had been involved in a spill earlier in the day, skidded face down in the turf for several yards after the accident, which occurred near the back of the field. He was taken immediately to Centinela Hospital Medical Center where X-rays of his right ankle showed no break, according to Dr. Mark Ellen. A determination on whether Sorenson’s thumb will be placed in a cast or surgically repaired hasn’t been made.

On the third and final day of Hollywood Park’s inaugural Autumn Turf Festival, Contested Bid did what 15 other European horses failed to do in their first American start.

The 2-year-old Alleged colt won, coming from far back under Corey Nakatani to defeat Turbulent Kris in the second division of the $125,400 Hoist The Flag Stakes. He won by nearly two lengths in 1:34 2/5 for the mile.

In the first division, Silver Ray took advantage of a dream trip and won by 1 1/4 lengths over Thinkernot in 1:35.

Horse Racing Notes

In his first day back after a five-day suspension, Pat Valenzuela was thrown when Capistrano broke down on the backstretch in the fifth race. Valenzuela suffered a scrape on his forehead and was taken off his remaining two mounts. Capistrano, a 2-year-old son of Storm Bird making his second start, suffered a compound fracture of a cannon bone and was destroyed.