Juan Hernandez patted Heredia’s neck with the kind of quiet faith only a familiar partner receives as she stepped back onto the Del Mar lawn this week — ears pricked, stride loose, moving like a mare who remembers the place well. Her summer triumph here still hangs brightly in memory, and on Sunday she finds herself back on familiar turf, sharpened for another test in the G1 Matriarch, the final Grade One event of the season for older horses.
Tension beneath the grandstand is expected to tighten as ten outstanding female turf runners load into the gates for the one-mile feature, Heredia among them, returning to the course that showcased her brilliance in August. Trainer Graham Motion’s team believes she has blossomed through the year, even if her recent Keeneland effort left more to find.
“She’s come forward every time,” assistant trainer Alice Clapham shared, hopeful rather than boastful. “She traveled well, looks stronger, and we know she runs with heart.”
Heredia will need every ounce of that progression, because the danger is real — and her name is Ag Bullet.
Ag Bullet Brings Firepower Into G1 Matriarch
The G1 Matriarch sharpens into a duel many expect to revolve around two mares: Heredia, returning in search of redemption, and Ag Bullet, the high-cruising turf sprinter who finished second in this year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.
Trainer Richard Baltas speaks with the confidence of a man who sees a horse hitting peak rhythm.
“She’s ready,” he said simply. “Everything since the Breeders’ Cup has suggested she’s moved forward.”
Stretching to a mile again asks a new-old question of Ag Bullet — can her speed last the length? Her record at the trip reads 5:2-0-1, and a placing would push her beyond the $3 million earnings mark.
Behind them lurks a capable and varied field, including:
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Segesta (Chad Brown) — consistently close, searching for the final step into Grade One glory.
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Ozara (Miguel Clement) — sharp Saratoga form earlier in the year, hindered by a troubled run last out.
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Breath Away (now under Qatar Racing) — improving mare with strong Canadian credentials and a bold mid-season rise.
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In Our Time (Saffie Joseph Jr.) — runner-up in the G2 Franklin and shaped like one who prefers the grind of a mile.
It is the 45th running of the storied contest — Race 7, post 3:30 p.m. — and whichever name reaches the line first will write the final Grade One chapter of 2025.
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