Hollywood Park: Better Lucky's 35-1 days over in this year's Matriarch

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – When Better Lucky won the $250,000 Matriarch Stakes at Betfair Hollywood Park in a 35-1 upset in 2012, the race proved that she is best in one-mile turf races.

This year, Better Lucky’s campaign has been geared toward such stakes, including a return to California for the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes for fillies and mares on Dec. 1.

Owned by Godolphin Racing and trained by Tom Albertrani, Better Lucky will be sent to California in an attempt to become the first repeat winner of the Matriarch since Flawlessly won the second of her three consecutive Matriarchs from 1991-93.

This time, there will be no longshot price for Better Lucky. Better Lucky, 4, won the Grade 1 First Lady Stakes over a mile on turf at Keeneland on Oct. 5.

“Everything has been pretty steady,” Albertrani said on Friday. “We were hoping to win a Grade 1 this year.

“She’s limited on distance, it seems. A mile is her best distance. We tried to stretch her out and we thought those races weren’t the best distances for her.”

Better Lucky has made four starts this year. She was fourth in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland in April, but later promoted to third after runner-up Daisy Devine tested positive for clenbuterol.

After a second in the Grade 1 Just a Game Stakes at Belmont Park in June, Better Lucky was third after a wide trip in the Grade 3 Noble Damsel Stakes at Belmont Park on Sept. 14, a prep for the First Lady. Albertrani said Better Lucky has been limited in starts this year to keep her to one-mile races.

“We didn’t have a lot of options with her over the summer,” he said. “The timing was on our side at Keeneland.”

In the First Lady, Better Lucky beat Dayatthespa, a troubled second in the 2012 Matriarch Stakes. Trained by Chad Brown, Dayatthespa is another New York-based runner expected for the Matriarch Stakes. Brown will also start Pianist, who won the Grade 3 Athenia Stakes at Belmont Park on Oct. 12.

Trainer Christophe Clement is expected to send in Discreet Marq, the winner of the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks in August.

The locally based females are led by Egg Drop, who won the Grade 2 Goldikova Stakes over a mile on turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 3.