Happy Like a Fool heads Matron Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – Back in the United States after a couple of unsuccessful forays abroad, Happy Like a Fool looks to get back to her winning ways when she heads a field of five entered in Sunday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Matron Stakes going six furlongs on dirt at Belmont Park.

A debut winner on dirt at Keeneland in April, Happy Like a Fool was part of trainer Wesley Ward’s large contingent of runners at the Royal Ascot meeting in England. Sent off the 4-5 favorite in a field of 23 in the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes at five furlongs on turf, Happy Like a Fool finished second to Heartache.

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Ward entered Happy Like a Fool in the Group 3 Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood in early August, but scratched when the ground came up soft. Ward then shipped Happy Like a Fool to York for the Group 2 Lowther Stakes and though the ground came up soft again, he ran her anyway and Happy Like a Fool finished sixth.

“You never know til you try, but she ran like we thought she would,” Ward said.

Ward said since getting her back to Keeneland, Happy Like a Fool “has been breezing like a demon” on dirt. “I mean eye-opening breezes,” he said.

Ward is taking blinkers off Happy Like a Fool and is bringing up Tyler Gaffalione from Florida to ride.

Take Charge Paula and Honey Graeme look like the major threats in the Matron, which is carded as the third race on a nine-race card that begins at 12:55 p.m.

Tarawa and Valuable Package complete the field.

KEY CONTENDERS

Happy Like a Fool, by Distorted Humor
Beyers: N/A

◗ As most Ward runners do first time out, she showed good speed from the gate en route to a four-length win at Keeneland in April.

On the negative side, the 11 horses she beat are a combined 2 for 58 coming out of that race.

◗ Has been working well on dirt at Keeneland.

Take Charge Paula, by Take Charge Indy
Last 3 Beyers: 35-61-62

◗ Backed up to 10th after checking entering the far turn of the Grade 2 Pocahontas Stakes going two turns Sept. 16 at Churchill Downs.

“Checking and being in traffic going into the far turn when everybody’s going forward and you’re going backward is not the trip you had in mind,” trainer Kelly Breen said.

Two horses from that race have come back to win.

◗ Went 2 for 2 sprinting, including a three-length victory in a minor stakes at Delaware.

Honey Graeme, by Graeme Hall
Beyers: 68-68

◗ Solid debut win at Saratoga, a race from which the runner-up, Quick Quick Quick, came back to win her next start while several others ran second in their next outs.

◗ Finished third, beaten 1 3/4 lengths, after chasing pace in Ontario Debutante over a synthetic surface