Mason confident impressive maiden winner Hypersport can go a mile

Hypersport will get both a class and distance test Friday at Oaklawn Park when the impressive maiden winner makes her two-turn debut in an allowance that drew the stakes winner Red Hot Mess and the stakes-placed runners Matareya and Benedict Canyon.

The allowance is the eighth race and for 2-year-old fillies at a mile. The no-conditions allowance will end at the sixteenth pole. It drew a field of nine and is one of three allowances on the card.

Hypersport put up a Beyer Speed Figure of 87 on Dec. 3 when she won a maiden special weight for fillies over six furlongs at Oaklawn. She covered the distance in 1:09.66. One race later, the $150,000 Advent Stakes for 2-year-olds went in 1:09.97.

Trainer Ingrid Mason has been looking forward to sending Hypersport two turns. The filly gets pedigree support for the added distance as a daughter of Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Blame. In addition, Mason believes Hypersport is a good candidate to carry her speed.

“This filly goes so effortlessly,” Mason said. “She just barely picks her feet up off the ground.”

Hypersport made her debut at Keeneland in October, finishing second by a length in a maiden special weight for fillies over 6 1/2 furlongs. She then wired her rivals at Oaklawn in her second start. Hypersport races for Muddy Waters Stables, which gave $100,000 for the filly at Keeneland in September 2020.

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“She was purchased in a yearling sale,” Mason said. “We loved that filly. We had to have her.”

Hypersport will break from the rail under Francisco Arrieta.

Red Hot Mess is moving back to the two-turn configuration of her biggest win, which came in the $50,000 White Clay Creek Stakes on Oct. 13 at Delaware Park. The race was run over the same mile distance she will travel Friday. Apprentice John Hirado has the mount from post 9 for owner Lewis E. Matthews Jr. and trainer Chelsey Moysey.

Matareya could go favored off a runner-up finish to Marissa’s Lady in the $193,000 Fern Creek over 6 1/2 furlongs Nov. 27 at Churchill Downs. Following that race, Marissa’s Lady won the Gowell at Turfway Park, with a Beyer Speed Figure of 85.

Matareya has been working at Fair Grounds. Earlier this year, she was fifth in the Grade 1 Alcibiades at Keeneland. Florent Geroux has the mount from post 4 for Godolphin and trainer Brad Cox.

Cox has top contenders in the other allowances on the card. Sun Path, a full sister to Grade 2 winner Bonny South, moves back to two turns in the fifth race. Palm Cottage is the probable favorite in the ninth race, which is for fillies and mares at six furlongs.

Friday’s card is the first since Oaklawn went on a one-week racing break in observance of Christmas.