Millionaire Adoration, last year's Breeder's Cup Distaff (gr. I) winner, will try for her third stakes win of the year when she takes on eight fillies and mares under top weight of 123 pounds in Saturday's Arlington Matron Handicap (gr. III). A victory in the $150,000 event at 1 1/8 miles will send Adoration, the 8-5 Matron favorite, past the $2-million mark in career earnings.
Standing in her way once again is fellow millionaire Bare Necessities. Adoration, who has earned $1,961,160, captured the Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap (gr. I) in March and the Fleur de Lis Handicap (gr. II) at Churchill Downs in June in her last start, with Bare Necessities third and second, respectively. Bare Necessities, who boasts a win in the Paseana Handicap at Santa Anita in January, finished ahead of Adoration in a runner-up effort in the Santa Maria Handicap (gr. I) in February. Bare Necessities, the 6-1 third choice in the Matron, ran third in the Aug. 7 Gardenia Handicap (gr. III) at Ellis Park in her last start.
The second choice, at 2-1, is Tamweel, whose last two wins have come at Arlington in her last two outings. Tamweel, who is in the midst of her first full season of racing in the U.S. following her arrival from Great Britain, goes into the Matron off a five-length win in the Aug. 13 Mariah's Storm Stakes.
Arlington Matron, Sept. 4, Race 9, Estimated Local Post Time: 5:06 PM
Post, Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer, Odds
1 Hennie's Song, James Graham, 114, Saeed bin Suroor, 20/1
2 Julie's Prize, Eusebio Razo, Jr., 114, Anthony Mitchell, 10/1
3 Bare Necessities, Carlos H. Marquez, Jr., 118, Frank J. Kirby, 6/1
4 Adoration, Victor Espinoza, 123, David E. Hofmans, 8/5
5 Tamweel, Rene R. Douglas, 115, Wayne M. Catalano, 2/1
6 Indy Groove, Earlie Fires, 112, Thomas F. Proctor, 15/1
7 Allspice, Christopher A. Emigh, 115, Greg Geier, 15/1
8 Miss Fortunate, Brian Dale Peck, 116, William I. Mott, 8/1
9 La Reason, Jesse M. Campbell, 114, David R. Vance, 12/1
