Nay Lady Nay and Lopez team up for WinStar Matchmaker victory

Nay Lady Nay and jockey Paco Lopez are a perfect partnership.

Lopez rode Nay Lady Nay to two wins in as many starts in 2019, including the Parx Fall Oaks last October. He was back aboard the 4-year-old filly on Saturday for a successful run in the Grade 3 WinStar Matchmaker Stakes at Monmouth Park.

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Nay Lady Nay ($6.40) closed from third in a field of seven to win by a half-length over 3-1 Beautiful Lover, giving trainer Chad Brown a sweep of the exacta.

Nay Lady Nay and Beautiful Lover were together for much of the $152,500 Matchmaker Stakes, run at 1 1/8 miles on turf for fillies and mares. They raced in stalking positions behind leaders Valedictorian (4-1) and 9-2 Tapit Today, also trained by Brown.

Lopez had Nay Lady Nay in third for the first mile, chasing Valedictorian, who set an early pace of 23.62 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 47.68 for a half-mile, closely followed by Tapit Today. Lopez moved Nay Lady Nay into contention in early stretch and they rallied between runners to take the lead in the final sixteenth.

Lopez said his recollections of winning aboard Nay Lady Nay last year were useful in the Matchmaker.

“I remembered her running style,” Lopez told Monmouth Park publicity.

“When Beautiful Lover started coming with me, I was a little concerned because I know that is a good horse. She responded very well when I asked her. I just had to find the room for her in the stretch.”

Nay Lady Nay was timed in 1:46.21 and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 94.

“They were going pretty fast up front, so I wasn’t really worried when the two looked like they were getting away,” Lopez said of Valedictorian and Tapit Today.

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Lopez was aboard Nay Lady Nay for a win in a maiden special weight race last August and has ridden the 4-year-old filly in three of her four wins.

Feel Glorious (7-1) closed from fifth to finish third, followed by Tapit Today, Varenka, Valedictorian and High Regard. Xenobia was withdrawn early Saturday.

Nay Lady Nay, an Irish-bred by No Nay Never, has had seven starts and earned $356,180. The Matchmaker was her second start of year, preceded by an eighth-place finish, beaten two lengths, in the Grade 3 Mint Julep Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on turf at Churchill Downs on May 30.

Owned by First Row Partners and Hidden Brook Farm, Nay Lady Nay has won three stakes, the most prestigious of which was the Grade 2 Mrs. Revere Stakes at Churchill Downs last November.