Klaravich Stables' homebred Surge Capacity, benefitting from a daring rail-skimming ride by Joel Rosario, captured Sunday's Matriarch (G1) at Del Mar, leading a one-two-three-four finish for trainer Chad Brown in the $300,000 fixture for fillies and mares.
The eastern-based conditioner, who has had great success shipping horses west as part of the seaside track's Autumn Turf Festival, pulled off his biggest score yet in the closing-day headliner as he registered his sixth victory in the race in its seven most recent editions.
His top four finishes have never been accomplished in a Grade 1 race at Del Mar before.
Rosario, who previously was a three-time riding champion at Del Mar, won the Matriarch for the fifth time, getting his mount home by a head over Fluffy Socks, who was 1 1/2 lengths ahead of third-place finisher Beaute Cachee, who was a head to the good of Whitebeam in fourth in the field of 12.
Surge Capacity covered the one-mile test in 1:33.95, the fastest mile grass race of the meeting.
“I kind of had no choice but to stay inside (in the stretch),” Rosario said. “I was just trying to save the ground and then go from there. I was very lucky with her kick. She is a very nice horse.”
The winner is a 3-year-old daughter of the British sire Flintshire bred in Kentucky by her owner, Seth Klarman of Boston, Mass. Her dam is the Warrior's Reward mare Strong Incentive.
On Saturday, Klarman and Brown combined to win the Hollywood Derby (G1) at Del Mar with Program Trading under Flavien Prat.
Surge Capacity was winning her third graded stakes, but her first Grade 1 in her initial outing against older rivals. Her $180,000 winning share of the purse pushed her bankroll up to $518,975.
The filly entered the Matriarch off a victory in the Valley View (G3), in which she was bottled up behind rivals in the stretch but burst through an opening along the rail and scored by three-quarters of a length Oct. 27 at Keeneland.
“She always does that (sits in behind horses),” said Brown's assistant trainer Jose Hernandez. “The same thing in Keeneland. She got in trouble, and then when she gets in the clear, she just takes off. It's just her; I've never seen that before. Fillies get intimidated a little bit, but when she gets in the clear, she takes off again.”
The 4-1 second betting choice behind favorite Whitebeam, Surge Capacity returned $11.40 for the victory.
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