With the stunning late scratch of odds-on favorite Echo Zulu, the once-beaten 2-year-old filly champion of 2021, Godolphin homebred Matareya had an easy time of it against three other 3-year-old fillies in Saturday's Grade 1, $500,000 Acorn at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. Ridden by Flavien Prat, the daughter of Pioneerof the Nile went straight to the front and was never threatened at any stage, pulling away down the stretch by 6 1/4 lengths for the easiest of wins.
The Brad Cox trainee covered the mile on a fast track in 1:35.77 after setting fractions of :23.39, :46.40 and 1:10.68. She paid $2.60 as the 1-5 favorite. Matareya was second in the betting at 9-5 when Steve Asmussen-trained Echo Zulu, who was 1-2 odds, was scratched.
Divine Huntress finished second, with Dream Lith another 5 1/2 lengths back in third. It was 16 lengths back to Investing in fourth.
Matareya improved her 2022 record to 4-for-4 following an allowance victory at Fair Grouns and two stakes successes in the G3 Beaumont at Keeneland and the G2 Eight Belles on the Kentucky Oaks card at Churchill Downs. The filly produced from the Bernardini mare, Innovative Idea, had won only once in four starts as a 2-year-old, with two of her defeats coming in two-turn races, including a fifth-place finish in Keeneland's G1 Alcibiades.
All five of her career wins have come around one turn.
Echo Zulu was scratched by the stewards on the recommendation of New York Racing Association veterinarian Dr. Anthony Verderosa, who was stationed at the starting gate. Jockey Joel Rosario told Acacia Clement on the FS2 telecast that the Gun Runner filly did not warm up the same as she had in the three previous races that he had ridden her. Echo Zulu came into the Acorn off her first career loss when fourth in the G1 Kentucky Oaks. She was voted an Eclipse Award as outstanding 2-year-old filly of 2021 after a perfect four-race campaign culminating with a 5 1/4-length victory in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.
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