Belmont: Kauai Katie tops Matron

ELMONT, N.Y. - Kauai Katie, winner of the Grade 2 Adirondack Stakes at Saratoga, tops a field of six juvenile fillies entered to run six furlongs in Sunday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Matron at Belmont Park.

Kauai Katie, a daughter of Malibu Moon owned by the Stonesteet Stables and trained by Todd Pletcher, won her debut on opening day at Saratoga by 12 lengths before coming back to win the Adirondack on Aug. 12 by 2 3/4 lengths. She drew the outside post in the field of six.

Seasoned Warrior, who finished a disappointing fourth in the Grade 1 Spinaway, will cut back to six furlongs for the Matron. She broke sharply but then suddenly dropped back in the Spinaway, finishing fourth of five in a puzzling performance to her connections.

“She obviously wasn’t in rhythm,” trainer Bill Mott said. “I’d say she lost 10 lengths within an eighth of a mile. She went from being on the lead and then you saw her back up and you said okay she’s going to be stalking two lengths off the lead and all of a sudden I see her backing up. I didn’t know what the heck was going on.”

Unabashed, a debut winner at Saratoga; Doubled, winner of the Sorority at Monmouth, Sweet Shirley Mae, the Spinaway runner-up; and Baby J, complete the field.