Ag Bullet’s groom pressed his forehead to her blaze at first light on Friday, a quiet moment before the noise of closing-day anticipation at Del Mar. The $300,000 Matriarch Stakes brings sentiment and expectation in equal measure this Sunday, and the locally-trained mare heads into the mile with confidence behind her and rivals fast approaching from the east.
Ag Bullet, who dazzled with a bold second in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint earlier this month, will stretch back to two turns after a successful sprint campaign. She was third in this race last season, beaten only a length, and has since carved an impressive record — Grade I Jaipur glory, a sharp wire-to-wire strike in the Grade II Ladies Turf Sprint, and four victories from her past six appearances. The five-year-old daughter of Twirling Candy returns carrying the trust of trainer Richard Baltas along with her owners Calvin Nguyen and Joey Tran. Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez, who guided her through her Jaipur success, reunites with her for the assignment.
Local Stars Poised for Matriarch Stakes Spotlight
Medoro, the model of reliability from the Peter Eurton stable, arrives with the type of profile that earns respect without noise. She has never finished outside the top three in 11 starts and strung together a trio of stakes wins at Santa Anita last season, including the Grade III Providencia. Her four-year-old campaign resumed smoothly with the Osunitas this summer, and her recent third in the Goldikova confirmed she remains sharp and professional. Owned by C R K Stables LLC, Medoro stands at 11-5-3-3 with Umberto Rispoli to take over on race day.
Eastern Speed Adds Depth to Del Mar Finale
The west-coast pair will not have the Matriarch to themselves. In Our Time, representing Saffie Joseph Jr., flies in with form and intent. The Not This Time filly has been a reliable presence on the board, placing four straight while pursuing her first stakes success. She was third in the Grade II Pegasus World Cup Invitational Filly and Mare Turf Invitational in January and repeated that placing in the Grade III Resolute Racing Ladies Turf Sprint in August. Javier Castellano takes the reins as she looks to press the pace and test the locals late.
Ozara also joins the lineup as another eastern challenger, giving Sunday’s Group I mile the shape of a coast-to-coast clash — seasoned local depth versus fresh opposition with something to prove.
With sentimental favourites, rising names, and traveling contenders circling the same finish line, the Matriarch closes Del Mar’s season not with a whisper but a race poised on storyline and speed.
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