Kostroma Fine for Now After Shaky Finish

Kostroma, who was pulled up and finished sixth as the even-money favorite in the $200,000 Matriarch Sunday at Hollywood Park, appears to be fine, according to trainer Gary Jones.

Jockey Kent Desormeaux took hold of the 5-year-old mare nearing the wire in the Grade I race, which was won by 6-1 longshot Flawlessly. The rider apparently sensed that something was wrong with Kostroma, but his only comment before leaving the jockey’s room was, “You’ll find out (Monday).”

Jones, who didn’t talk to reporters immediately after the Matriarch, couldn’t find anything amiss with Kostroma, who had won three consecutive stakes before Sunday.

“She seems to be fine,” he said Monday morning. “Sometimes, things don’t show up for a couple of days but, right now, she seems to be fine.

“Kent said she took some bad steps, and he just pulled her up. He said she kept changing leads. Maybe, she didn’t like the (turf) course. I don’t know what it was. She went into the race perfect. It was just one of those deals.”