Matron: Flirting With Time exposed after runaway maiden score

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – As disappointing as she was in her first two starts is as impressive as Flirting With Time was when she won her maiden at Kentucky Downs on Aug. 29.

A duplication of that performance puts Flirting With Time right in the mix of a seemingly wide-open renewal of Sunday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Matron Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Aqueduct. The Matron, scheduled for six furlongs on turf, is the last of three stakes on a nine-race card that includes the Grade 2 Beldame and Grade 2 Miss Grillo.

Flirting With Time finished last sprinting on turf July 18 at Saratoga and then was sixth of eight in an off-the-turf race on Aug. 8. Joe Sharp, trainer of Flirting With Time, dismissed both performances, saying the first time his filly had the rail and was hard used and the second time the race was moved from turf to dirt while horses were in the paddock.

In her Kentucky Downs race, Flirting With Time glided to the front under Brian Hernandez Jr. and then in upper stretch ran away from her 11 rivals to win by 7 3/4 lengths. Two of the four horses that have run back out of that race won their next outing.

“How she ran that day was a true indication of her as far as her ability is concerned,” Sharp said. “She was always high on our radar, which is why we brought to her Saratoga.”

:: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets.

Though she won on the front end, Sharp doesn’t view her as a need-the-lead type.

“That being said, she is very fast,” said Sharp, who has Hernandez to ride from post 7 in a 12-horse field. “I won’t be surprised to see her on the lead, I’d be confident stalking too.”

George Weaver sends out the uncoupled pair of Pop Idol and Laurice, both coming off maiden wins. Pop Idol, who finished fourth in the same off-the-turf race in which Flirting With Time was sixth, went to Woodbine on Aug. 31 to win her maiden over that track’s synthetic surface. That same day, Laurice won her debut on turf at Saratoga by a half-length.

Weaver said he wanted to split the horses up and it made sense to run Pop Idol, being an Ontario-bred, at Woodbine. Pop Idol, a daughter of Maclean’s Music who will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. on Sunday, showed the ability to succeed from off the pace.

“It’s always nice to have a horse that doesn’t need the lead, especially the further up the ladder you go the more you have to contend with other speed,” Weaver said.

Laurice, a daughter of Bolt d’Oro, did press a strong pace in her debut win at Saratoga.

“I thought she established a fairly solid pace and had some pressure and still got the job done,” Weaver said. “I thought that in and of itself was impressive.”

Abientot and Civetta finished third and fourth, respectively, in the Untapable Stakes at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 8, and are certainly players in this spot.

Will Not Be Swayed, a six-length maiden winner of her turf debut in her third career start, goes out for Brad Cox, who entered Friday’s card 7 for 17 at this meet.

Baytown Butterfly, I’mwishingonastar, Serene Spirit, Miriam’s Fire, Second Chance, and Yougottahavehope round out the field.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.