HOLLYWOOD PARK : Matriarch Is Inside Job for Flawlessly

Chris McCarron had a question for one of his daughters after the $400,000 Matriarch Sunday at Hollywood Park.

“Kristin,” he asked, “do you want to ride her home?”

McCarron has ample reason for wanting to keep Flawlessly close. The 5-year-old Affirmed mare has been very good to him and he would like to keep her around for another year.

Winning for the sixth time in as many tries on the Hollywood Park turf course, Flawlessly made it three victories in a row in the Matriarch and wrapped up her second consecutive Eclipse award as the nation’s top female grass performer.

Twenty-two days after she finished off the board for the first time in 16 turf starts, the 9-10 favorite sneaked through along the rail entering the stretch and went on to beat 2-1 second choice Toussaud--the other top Eclipse contender--by a neck in 1:46 3/5 for the 1 1/8 miles.

In completing her Matriarch hat trick, Flawlessly became only the second horse to win the same stakes three consecutive years at Hollywood Park. The legendary Native Diver won the Hollywood Gold Cup from 1965-67.

“This is a great one to win with the Eclipse awards and everything coming up,” trainer Charlie Whittingham said after Flawlessly’s 13th victory in 17 appearances on turf. “I think this one is as satisfying as any victory because of how she ran in the Breeders’ Cup (a troubled ninth in the Mile).

“I knew she loved this course and she had trained well. She had a terrible trip in the Breeders’ Cup and there was a concern it might have dulled her, but it didn’t seem to bother her.”

Never far off the pace, Flawlessly was on the fence throughout and McCarron felt fairly confident room would develop.

“The filly on the lead (10-1 shot Elizabeth Bay) was lugging out,” he said. “I just had to hope she was going to do the same thing on the second turn. She made the second turn in better form than she did the first, but the rider (Thierry Jarnet) was still having trouble keeping her on the fence.

“So, for me to stay on the fence was a calculated risk. I stayed there purposely. I could have moved when I turned down the backside, but when I saw Alysbelle alongside me, I knew she also had a habit of lugging out. I looked over at Corey (Nakatani on Alysbelle) and he had the bit pulled clear through the filly’s mouth.

“So, that reinforced my decision to stay where I was. Once I got to the three-eighths pole, though, I was confident I was going to get through.”

Once through, Flawlessly quickly took the lead and got clear late in stretch, but Toussaud, who had to come widest of all after trailing early, began to rally. The 4-year-old El Gran Senor filly, making her final start for Bobby Frankel and Juddmonte Farms, gained gradually on the winner, but she didn’t gain fast enough. Skimble, Toussaud’s entrymate, was two lengths back in third, then came Elizabeth Ray and Hero’s Love, who finished in a dead heat for fourth, Alysbelle and Miss Turkana.

Whittingham said no decision has been made on whether Flawlessly would return to race as a 6-year-old. However, if he had his way, the Harbor View Farm homebred would be back.

“I can’t say one way or another (if she will return),” Whittingham said. “I wouldn’t be surprised because she’s a very sound mare.”

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Eight days after finishing second to Explosive Red in the Hollywood Derby, Jeune Homme upset seven older rivals in the $137,500 Citation Handicap.

Able to save ground throughout under Jarnet, the 3-year-old Nureyev colt took over from favored Paradise Creek with less than a furlong to run and won by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:45 4/5 for the 1 1/8 miles on turf. He paid $17.80 as the fifth choice in the field.

Paradise Creek, the 2-1 favorite who won the 1992 Hollywood Derby in his only other start on this turf course, held on to beat Johann Quatz by a nose for the place.

Horse Racing Notes

Gary Stevens, who rode Luazur in the Japan Cup, was late returning to Hollywood Park, so Pat Valenzuela picked up the mount on Fanmore in the Citation. . . . Track announcer Trevor Denman will be on vacation the rest of the meeting and will be back for Santa Anita’s opening day on Dec. 26. Gary Henson will call the races in Denman’s absence.