Marathoner Personal Best shortens up for Matchmaker

Personal Best cuts back in distance for Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Matchmaker Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on turf.

A Joseph Allen homebred by Tapit, Personal Best won Gulfstream Park’s Grade 3 La Prevoyante at 1 1/2 miles to kick off her 2023 campaign, then finished a close second in the Grade 3 Orchid over the same course and distance April 1.

In her most recent appearance, Personal Best placed third behind top turf mare War Like Goddess in Keeneland’s Grade 3 Bewitch, also at 12 furlongs.

“She’s training awfully well,” said trainer Shug McGaughey. “I can’t really tell you about what the one and one-eighth is going do, but she should be finishing.”

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McGaughey feels that the Matchmaker is a “good race to get her started. If we get a good race, then we can come back in the Flower Bowl at the end of the [Saratoga] meet.

Surprisingly, a Phipps Stable homebred by Mastery, also is conditioned by McGaughey. The winner of the Grade 3 Endeavour going 1 1/16 miles at Tampa Bay Downs on March 11, Surprisingly placed in her next three starts, all graded races. She was second in Monmouth’s Eatontown June 17 after a ground-saving trip.

“She shows up all the time,” McGaughey said. “Obviously, I was disappointed she didn’t win [the Eatontown]. Maybe if she had gotten loose down inside a little earlier, but who knows? This seems like the most logical spot for her.”

Consumer Spending bested Surprisingly in the Eatontown and could be the one to beat for trainer Chad Brown.

“She ran a super race, and it was a pretty salty spot last time,” Brown said. “It was nice to see her step up and now she seems to be rounding back into form.”

Consumer Spending is a proven commodity at this distance with a win over yielding ground in Belmont Park’s Grade 2 Wonder Again in 2022. With a high chance of rain in the forecast on Friday, Consumer Spending might receive some give in the turf course.

Multiple stakes winner Bipartisanship is in good form for Graham Motion after taking the PTHA President’s Cup at Parx on June 18.

Multiple Grade 3 winner Gam’s Mission beat two next-out winners when taking a conditioned allowance at Keeneland on April 16.

Rail-drawn Canisy might be the controlling speed. Multiple stakes-placed Tic Tic Tic Boom completes the field.

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