Trainer Chad Brown sent out the first-, second- and fourth-place finishers in the Grade 3 Matchmaker Stakes at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., on Saturday, with Irish-bred Nay Lady Nay defeating stablemate Beautiful Lover by a half length as the 2.20-1 favorite. Christophe Clement-trained Feel Glorious finished third, with Brown's Tapit Today fourth in the field of seven fillies and mares.
Nay Lady Nay, ridden by Paco Lopez, was timed in 1:46.21 for 1 1/8 miles on a firm turf course.
A 4-year-old by No Nay Never, Nay Lady Nay was winning for the fourth time in seven career starts. The Matchmaker was her second graded stakes win, having won the G2 Mrs. Revere at Churchill Downs on yielding turf last Nov. 29.
No Nay Never races for First Row Partners and Hidden Brook Farm.
Valedictorian set the pace, chased throughout by Tapit Today, who opened up as many as six lengths on Nay Lady Nay before reaching the far turn. Fractions were :23.62, :47.68 and 1:10.94 for the first six furlongs, with the mile clocked in 1:34.25.
“I won with her twice last year, once at Monmouth and once at Parx,” said Lopez. “So I remembered her and her running style. When Beautiful Lover started coming with me I was a little concerned because I know that is a good horse. I was able to let my horse settle most of the way. She likes to come from off the pace. They were going pretty fast up front so I wasn't really worried when the two (frontrunners) looked like they were getting away. She responded very well when I asked her. She's a nice filly. She really has a strong finish. I just had to find the room for her in the stretch. Once I did she was fine.”
Luis Cabrera, assistant to Chad Brown, said: “All three fillies we had in here ran really good. Respect to all of them. I thought Beautiful Lover was going to keep going by all of them. But the winner had a really good trip. Paco Lopez gave this horse a great ride. Her last race she got in a little trouble and it was her first start of the year (eighth in the G3 Mint Julep at Churchill Downs May 30). This time she got a perfect trip. She's a really good, classy filly. She has talent. That's always important. She broke her maiden at Monmouth Park so we knew she liked the turf here.”
In addition to their share of the $150,000 purse, the top three finishers are awarded stallion seasons to either Exaggerator, Take Charge Indy and Yoshida from WinStar Farm.
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