Miss Matched, probably the most exciting 2-year-old winner of the 2004 Monmouth season when she broke her maiden on July 15, has been sold to John and Debby Oxley, trainer Bill Perry reported Saturday. The filly was shipped to Saratoga early Saturday morning. The price was reported in the "high six figures." John Ward Jr., who trains the Oxley horses, examined the filly Friday, liked what he saw and made the deal. The filly will join Ward's stable now based at the Spa. Miss Matched, a daughter of Formal Gold-Ivory Princess, by Cure the Blues, was bred and owned by Perry and his partner, John Gallo. Perry trained her sire Formal Gold to win multiple graded stakes, including the Iselin Handicap (gr. II) at Monmouth. Perry and Gallo also own her full brother, Belichick, who broke his maiden at Monmouth last year. Miss Matched debuted on July 15. After sitting off the pace for the first part of the five furlongs, she exploded around the turn and drew off to win by 12 1/2 lengths under a hand ride by jockey Stewart Elliott. Her time on a fast track was :57 4/5.
"As a horseman, I would have loved to keep her," Perry said. "But as a businessman, I couldn't pass up this opportunity. I'm looking forward to watching her race for John."