Sacred Wish © Benoit Photo
Outsider Sacred Wish got a Hall of Fame ride by Hall of Famer John Velazquez Sunday at Del Mar and came away a neck best in the 44th edition of the $300,000, Grade I Matriarch Stakes as the shore track’s 11th Bing Crosby Season came to a close.
The 4-year-old daughter of Not This Time tracked the early leader in the one-mile turf testing, then responded to Velazquez’s urgings turning for home and just held off race favorite Gina Romantica, who was closing fast in the middle of the track.
Sacred Wish registered her first Grade I victory in the Matriarch for veteran trainer George Weaver. She returned $27.60 after running the distance in 1:34.76.
It was the second stakes victory on the day for Velazquez (he’d earlier won the Grade III Cecil B. DeMille on the gelding Clock Tower) and the second graded victory for the Giant’s Causeway sire Not This Time, who also was responsible for Clock Tower.
Finishing second in the Matriarch was 13-10 favorite Gina Romantica, who races for Peter M. Brant. She had three-quarters of a length on pacesetter Ag Bullet, who carries the silks of the partnership of Nguyen or Tran.
Sacred Wish picked up a first prize of $180,000, which increased her earnings to $985,138. She’s finished in the top three in 13 of her 17 career starts.
The Matriarch helped bring down the curtain on the Del Mar fall season. The seaside oval will return next July for its traditional summer meet, then host the Breeders’ Cup for the second year in a row next fall.
JOHN VELAZQUEZ (Sacred Wish, winner) – “Broke great! I was hoping that she would break well. There was only two speed (horses) in the race, so if I can beat #3 or #4 then I am in a good position. You know, she is a great horse (Sacred Wish). I thought she would take me farther down in the lane, and I could get her going along the turn. And it worked out perfect, you know, the horse in the lead (Ag Bullet) took me where I thought. She pulled out and she had a nice kick to fight down the lane.”
BLAIR GOLEN, assistant to trainer George Weaver (Sacred Wish, winner) – “Ag Bullet just set it up perfect for her. She wasn’t going too fast, was comfortable behind horses, and was able to go up the rail and get it done this time. Johnny (Velazquez) already had it in his head that instead of waiting for her he was going to ask her to go and where she put herself is where she was going to be. He’s ridden her so well in the past. He gets along with her good and I’m just so happy he was able to come out and ride her.”
FRACTIONS: :23.32 :47.57 1:11.59 1:23.00 1:34.76
The stakes win was the third of the meeting for rider Velazquez, but his first in the Matriarch. He now has 12 stakes wins at Del Mar.
The stakes win was the first of the meeting for trainer Weaver and his first in the Matriarch. He now has two stakes wins at Del Mar.
The winning owner is Black Type Thoroughbreds, Swinbank Stables and Adkinsson, et al.