En route to his 1995 election to the Hall of Fame, trainer Robert Frankel showed he could dominate a stakes race by saddling the winner of Del Mar's Pacific Classic four years in a row.
Frankel's Pacific Four was accomplished with Missionary Ridge in 1992, Bertrando in 1993 and back-to-back with Tinner's Way in 1994 and '95.
Tomorrow, Frankel will try to top that when he goes for a fifth straight victory in the Matriarch Stakes, one of two Grade I, $500,000 races on the final day of the autumn Turf Festival at Hollywood Park.
Frankel's Matriarch Four is composed of Heat Haze (2003), Intercontinental, Price Tag and Precious Kitten. He's got a shot at a five-peat tomorrow when he sends out defending champion Precious Kitten and Visit in a field of nine for the one-mile turf run.
“I don't keep track of those kinds of records, but I think it would be great,” Frankel said when he was asked about a Martriarch Fab Five by Hollywood Park's Steve Schuelein this week.
Precious Kitten won the Grade I Gamely Handicap at Hollywood Park in May, her lone victory in five 2008 starts. The past four have been at the Grade I level, with the most recent a fourth-place finish in the $2 million Breeders'Cup Mile on Oct. 25 at Santa Anita.
The 5-year-old Catienus mare has career earnings of $1.8 million from eight wins in 24 career starts. Rafael Bejarano, aboard for all five starts this year, will be aboard as Precious Kitten breaks from the No. 4 post position.
Visit finished fourth in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf in her last start and was transferred to Frankel's care afterward. Visit gets leading national rider Garrett Gomez and will break from the No. 7 post.
The Matriarch has a field that's high in class and accomplishment. It includes Black Mamba, winner of the John C. Mabee Handicap at Del Mar; New York invader Criminologist for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey; Del Mar Oaks winner Magical Fantasy; and Todd Pletcher-trained Roshani, who prevailed in the Las Palmas at Santa Anita in her most recent start.
The Hollywood Derby also drew a field of nine, topped by Court Vision, who arrived from Florida on Tuesday. Court Vision took the Grade II Jamaica Handicap on Oct. 4 at Belmont in his most recent start.
Gio Ponti, winner of the Grade II Virginia Derby in July and runner-up in the Grade II Del Mar Derby on Aug. 31, is also considered a major contender.
Turf Festival under way
Hyperbaric, given a breather by jockey
Tyler Baze down the backstretch, dug in through the stretch to hold off all challengers en route to a front-running victory in the $400,000 Citation Handicap yesterday as the Turf Festival began with a pair of graded stakes at Hollywood Park.
The victory was the fourth consecutive for Hyperbaric, who returned $13 for a $2 win bet in notching his first Grade I win while covering 1 1/16 miles on the Lakeside Turf Course in 1:41.29. Formal Decree finished three-quarters of a length back in second, followed by Becrux, Proudinsky, Medici Code and even-money favorite Whatsthescript in the field of nine older horses.
In the co-feature, Shadwell Farm's Habaya closed from mid-pack under Richard Migliore to win the $113,800 Miesque by three-quarters of a length over Internallyflawless. Eloquently was just a nose back in third with favorite Emmy Darling another nose back in fourth in the field of 12 2-year-old fillies.
Habaya ($6.80), trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, covered one mile on turf in 1:37.07.
Einstein wins smartly
Einstein won the $400,000 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., storming past the 2-5 favorite
Commentator at the top of the stretch and holding off
Delightful Kiss to prevail by 1½ lengths.
Einstein ($11.80), ridden by Julien Leparoux, completed the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.79.
Union-Tribune news services contributed to this report
Hank Wesch: (619) 293-1853; hank.wesch@uniontrib.com
