Yellow Ribbon Stakes Loses Possibly Perfect

Possibly Perfect will not win the $600,000 Yellow Ribbon for the second time in three years today at Santa Anita.

As expected, trainer Bobby Frankel scratched the nation’s top female turf performer from the Grade I race and will instead run her in the $700,000 Matriarch on Nov. 26 at Hollywood Park.

“It was a hard decision,” said Frankel. “She galloped really well [Saturday morning] at Hollywood Park and I was almost going to run her, but I figured another two weeks wouldn’t hurt her.”

Wandesta and Privity, Possibly Perfect’s stablemates, will race coupled since they are both owned by Juddmonte Farms. They were made the 7-2 second choice on the morning line.

Wandesta, now to be ridden by Corey Nakatani, won a pair of Grade I stakes--the Santa Ana and Santa Barbara handicaps--at Santa Anita earlier in the year. Privity was fifth in the Turf Classic against males last month at Belmont Park in her American debut. She has won two of eight in Europe.

The 3-1 choice is Alpride, who drew the outside post in the field of 13 fillies and mares. She upset Possibly Perfect in the Beverly Hills Handicap on July 2, but was beaten by her in two subsequent meetings.

Rounding out the field, from the rail out, are Don’t Read My Lips, Angel In My Heart, Real Connection, Bold Ruritania, Mz. Zill Bear, Tamise, Aube Indienne (who won the race last year), Capracotta, Onceinabluemamoon and Flagbird.