Belmont: Kauai Katie shows ability to rate in winning Matron

Barbara D. Livingston

Kauai Kate, ridden by Rosie Napravnik, could be headed to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies or BC Juvenile Sprint after her easy win in the Matron.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Kauai Katie proved she doesn’t have to be in front early to be in front at the end.

In dominating Sunday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Matron Stakes by 7 1/2 lengths at Belmont Park, Kauai Katie sat off Baby J for more than three furlongs before taking over coming to the top of the stretch and running away from the field down the lane.

Baby J held second by 1 1/2 lengths over Seasoned Warrior. Unabashed and Doubled completed the order of finish.

The victory was the third in as many starts for Kauai Katie, who led at every point of call winning her maiden by 12 lengths and the Grade 2 Adirondack, both at Saratoga.

 Sunday, breaking from the outside post under Rosie Napravnik, Kauai Katie sat off Baby J through an opening quarter of 22.88 seconds. She gradually moved to the lead leaving the five-sixteenths pole and was a length in front turning for home. Kauai Katie, owned by Stonestreet Stables and trained by Todd Pletcher, covered six furlongs in 1:11.26 and returned $2.40 as the 1-5 favorite.

“Todd and I talked about it, considering our post position it gave us the option and Katie has always shown she was rateable. We figured we’d play the break and if somebody else wanted it they were free to have it,” Napravnik said. “She was so much the best I couldn’t hold her behind them because we were too much the better horse.”

 Pletcher said he told Napravnik “if the other filly was ahead of you at the beginning that would be okay. Based on the way she’s trained, she’s pretty cooperative in those situations. For a filly that’s as fast as she is, she has an outstanding disposition.”

 As Stonestreet and Pletcher also have the undefeated Dreaming of Julia, who is scheduled to start in next Saturday’s Grade 1 Frizette at Belmont Park, future plans for Kauai Katie are undecided.

 Pletcher said Kauai Katie could be considered for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies or the Juvenile Sprint. There is also the chance Kauai Katie doesn’t run in any Breeders’ Cup race.