Clearly a Queen best in Matchmaker

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Clearly a Queen was a Grade 3 winner last year, but seeming lost a step before moving to the barn of Terri Pompay at Monmouth this summer. However, Clearly a Queen has thrived at Monmouth and continued her success here Sunday with a powerful victory in the Grade 3, $100,000 Matchmaker Handicap for fillies and mares on the turf.

Clearly a Queen, with Eibar Coa in the saddle, broke first out of the gate but rated in third throughout the backstretch, behind the open-length pacesetter Platinum Tiara. Turning for home, she got the first jump on Platinum Tiara and cruised home a two-length winner before 13,700. Siringas, the 3-5 favorite trained by Christophe Clement, came up on the rail to edge out Platinum Tiara for second by a neck.

Clearly a Queen, a 5-year-old owned by John Franks, covered the nine-furlong distance over a firm turf course in 1:47.76. The win was her second here this meet, as she won a money allowance and then ran third in the Politely Stakes before this start.

Clearly a Queen had won the Grade 3 Violet at The Meadowlands last year while being trained by Bobby Barnett, and was in the barn of Bill White in Florida before moving to Pompay's barn. The win was Coa's second graded stakes of the meet.

*Rudirudy ($6.40) dueled on the lead with entrymate Sport D'Hiver and opened up down the stretch to hold off even-money favorite Joe's Son Joey by 1 3/4 lengths in the $50,000 John McSorley Stakes at five furlongs on the turf. Manofglory was third.

Rudirudy, a 7-year-old trained and owned by Gaston Sandoval, won the McSorley for the second straight year. He covered the distance over a firm turf course in 55.44 and turned the tables on Joe's Son Joey after finishing behind him in the Turf Monster Handicap at Philly Park May 27.