DEL MAR, Calif. – Chad Brown spent some formative time in Southern California working for Bobby Frankel, and though the trainer is based in his native New York these days, he still has plenty of ties here, and this past week at Del Mar, especially Sunday, could not have been more significant in tying all that together. Brown won his fourth graded stakes of the week on Sunday, and nearly his fifth at the same time, as Viadera barely edged Blowout in the Grade 1, $301,500 Matriarch in what was close to being a dead heat. The Matriarch, a one-mile grass race for older females, was the headliner of the closing-day card. It was the third win in the Matriarch in the last four years for Brown, following Off Limits in 2017 and Uni in 2018. But this was his first in concert with owner-breeder Juddmonte Farms, which won this race five times with Frankel while he was alive – in 1996 with Wandesta, 1997 with Ryafan, 2003 with Heat Haze, 2004 with Interncontinental, and 2006 with Price Tag -- and a sixth, very emotional time, in 2009 with Ventura, less than a fortnight after Frankel died. Ventura was saddled by long-time assistant Humberto Ascanio, with whom Brown remains close. :: Start earning weekly cashback on your wagering today. Click to learn more. “Thinking of Bobby,” Brown said in a text after the race. Viadera ($12.80) split horses at midstretch under Joel Rosario and nailed Blowout in the very last stride to win by a nose, with Juliet Foxtrot another half-length back in third. Sharing was a neck farther away in fourth and was followed, in order, by Maxim Rate, Tamahere, She’s Our Charm, and Bodhicitta. Mucho Unusual was scratched earlier in the day. The race was fast early, fast late. Viadera completed one mile on firm turf in 1:33.03 Viadera was fifth in the early going. Blowout led around the first turn, but then Juliet Foxtrot aggressively moved to the fore and was in front after a half-mile in 45.63 seconds. Blowout, who usually tries to lead from start to finish, engaged anew heading into the lane and got past Juliet Foxtrot, as Sharing loomed menacingly. But Blowout was able to split horses at midstretch and finished best of all to prevail. “She never gave up,” Rosario said. “I thought I had gotten up. I just kept busy.” Flavien Prat, who rode Blowout, said it was “frustrating getting beat like that,” but credited his filly with relaxing when Juliet Foxtrot moved to the lead. “When she was covered up she dropped the bit and relaxed,” he said. Viadera and Blowout were exiting the Grade 3 Noble Damsel at Belmont on Sept. 26, in which Blowout set a swift pace and Viadera got up late to win by a neck. This played out similarly, only the margin was closer, the overall competition keener, and the stakes higher. Brown’s third entrant, Tamahere, was sent off the 2-1 favorite following a win in her United States debut in the Grade 2 Sands Point last month. Tamahere, 3, was facing elders for the first time. Viadera, 4, a Juddmonte homebred, is a British-bred by Bated Breath. She began her career in Ireland with Ger Lyons before heading to Brown’s barn. Owing to the delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, she did not make her first start until June. She won her next two starts, at Saratoga and Belmont Park, before heading here for the Matriarch.