Sent postward at 65-1 as the longest shot in an outstanding field of older fillies and mares, Stormy Lucy and jockey Kent Desormeaux stormed from far back to win the featured Grade I $300,000 Matriarch Stakes on the 20^th and closing day of Del Mar’s fall Bing Crosby Season Sunday.

 

Stormy Lucy moved into contention from between horses entering the stretch, took dead aim on the leading Recepta and responded generously to wear down that rival and win by a head in 1:35.16 for the mile on the infield Jimmy Durante Turf Course.

 

Filimbi, the 5-2 favorite, was third, one and one-half lengths in back of Recepta, with longshot Queen of the Sand fourth in the field of 14 runners. Hard Not to Like, the 7-2 second choice, stumbled badly at the break under jockey John Velazquez to lose her chance. Alexis Tangier, an also-eligible, was scratched.

 

Stormy Lucy, a six-year-old daughter of Stormy Atlantic, is owned by Steve Moger of Bellevue, Washington and trained by his brother, Ed Moger, Jr.

 

To her backers, Stormy Lucy paid $132.80, $50.40 and $21.20 while earning $180,000 with her eighth success in 31 career outings. Runner-up Recepta, who was piloted by Elvis Trujillo, paid $9.20 and $6.60, while Filimbi, with Jose Lezcano up, paid $3.80 to show.

 

In a supporting feature on the closing-day card, Dressed in Hermes and jockey Mike Smith collaborated to win the $101,750 Cecil B. DeMille stakes for two-year-olds.

 

Dressed in Hermes, a son of Hat Trick owned by Budget Stable and trained by Janet Armstrong, ran the mile on the grass in 1:36.13 in defeating Collected by a length and one-quarter. Frank Conversation was third in the line-up of a dozen juveniles.

 

Dressed in Hermes paid $9.40 for his second win in five starts and it was worth $60,000.

 

In the Pick Six, there were no tickets with six or five winners. There were 92 tickets with four winners and each paid $2,120. 

 

 

KENT DESORMEAUX (Stormy Lucy, winner) – “She ran huge; huge. The trainer (Ed Moger, Jr.) told me she doesn’t switch leads. But she did today. She sure did. Terrific race for her. I can’t remember one like this (Stormy Lucy was 65-1.) Never been involved in one in a stakes like this. Boxcars. Amazing.”

ELVIS TRUJILLO (Recepta, second) – “A perfect trip for her. She ran really well. No complaints.”

JOSE LEZCANO (Filimbi, third) – “She broke good; she ran good.”

BRICE BLANC (Queen of The Sand, fourth) – “The more you ask of this mare, the more she gives. I had a good trip and she ran great.”

JOHN VELAZQUEZ (Hard Not to Like, ninth) – “She was ready for the break. (She stumbled badly at the break and spotted her field many lengths.) I don’t know why she stumbled like she did.” 

ED MOGER, JR. (Stormy Lucy, winner) – “She was doing great and she’s such a good horse. When you’ve got a good horse you’ve always got a chance. We’ve been trying to get a Grade I win for her all year. It’s the first Grade I for me and I’ve been waiting for it for a long time. I’ve been training for 40 years. We wanted to run her in the Breeders’ Cup and then go to the (Fasig-Tipton*) sale. But then she didn’t get in and we really wanted to win a Grade I, so that’s why we’re here.”

 

 

FRACTIONS:  :22.69  :46.70  1:11.08  1:23.33  1:35.16

 

 

This is the second running of the Matriarch at Del Mar. Previously, it had been run 33 times at Hollywood Park.

 

This is the second stakes win of the meet for rider Desormeaux. He now has 73 stakes wins at Del Mar, ninth best of all riders.

 

This is the first stakes win of the meet for trainer Moger and his first Grade I. He now has two stakes wins at Del Mar.

 

The owner of the winner is Steve Moger of Bellvue, WA. He is the trainer’s brother.

 

 

*A previous version of this release incorrectly listed the Keeneland Sale