HOLLYWOOD PARK : In Matriarch, No One Can Keep Up With the Rate of Exchange

The richest victory of trainer Bill Spawr’s career was also the most satisfying.

Enthused by how Exchange trained after her disappointing effort in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, Spawr suggested to owners Sid and Jenny Craig that the 6-year-old Explodent mare be supplemented to the $400,000 Matriarch.

The Craigs agreed, put up the $20,000, then Exchange went out and verified her trainer’s confidence Sunday in the Grade I race at Hollywood Park.

In the first Matriarch without Flawlessly since 1990 and with Hollywood Wildcat also missing, Exchange, a $50,000 claim by her current owners, won for the 14th time in 28 starts and surpassed $1 million in career earnings.

As is her custom, however, it was far from easy. Challenged from all sides in the stretch, Exchange withstood everyone and finally beat Aube Indienne by a head in 1:49 2/5 for the 1 1/8 miles on the turf. The Canadian-bred mare has won half of her starts, but never by much. Her largest margin of victory in her last five victories is three-quarters of a length.

Despite hopping at the start under Laffit Pincay, the 3-1 second choice took the early lead inside Zoonaqua, slowed things down on a course that has been favoring speed and scored her eighth victory in 12 turf appearances.

“It’s the biggest purse I’ve won, but what makes it satisfying is that I was right,” said Spawr. “You could just throw out the race in the Breeders’ Cup (she finished seventh of nine) because she didn’t handle the track at all. She had done so well since (coming back to California) and she worked (five furlongs) in 58 4/5 (on Nov. 21) and that’s just not like her.

“The last time she ran on the turf (May 30, 1993) she broke in the air and she injured an ankle . . . and she did the same thing again today. It must have cost her two or three lengths. I didn’t think she was beaten because I know her, and with the easy pace, I didn’t think they’d beat her.

“I look at her this way--3-year-olds running against a mare that’s been second and third to Hollywood Wildcat and Paseana. Maybe Exchange isn’t a champion, but she’s right next to them.”

Exchange will continue to race as a 7-year-old, but she might return to the main track because Spawr, like many others, is not a fan of the Santa Anita turf course.

“I don’t think it’s a safe course for my kind of mare,” he said. “It’s like running on a sandy field.”

Wherever she goes, Pincay will follow. The two have been constant companions, although the start made the world’s second-winningest rider a bit anxious.

“She hopped leaving the gate, the same thing as she did the last time she ran over here,” he said. “I was a little worried because I thought I was going to make an easy lead. I had to rush her a little bit to make lead, then she was able to relax.

“I just tried to save her for the last part. The horse on the outside (Aube Indienne) headed me, but my mare responded when I whipped her a few times because she wanted to win.”

Aube Indienne fell short of her third consecutive victory and a fourth in a row for Whittingham in the Matriarch. She beat Wandesta, the remaining half of the Juddmonte Farms entry after the scratch of Skimble earlier in the afternoon, by a half-length.

“The slow pace hurt her, but she’s the real thing, that’s for sure,” said Whittingham. “But a slow pace hurts anybody. The other one (Exchange) never gives up, you know? You gotta blow by her, but no use crying. She’s a tough one to get by.”

Alywow, one of the 3-year-old fillies Spawr referred to, stayed close to the pace early, then faded to finish seventh as the 2-1 favorite.

“I felt very comfortable,” said Mike Smith, Alywow’s rider. “I know she was closer than she’s ever been before, but they were just crawling out there. She was well within herself. I’m really at a loss to explain what happened.”