How to bet with, and against, Matareya in the Chicago Stakes

A pair of Grade 1 winners will lead six fillies and mares postward in Saturday’s $225,000 Chicago S. (G3) at Ellis Park. The seven-furlong dirt affair is led by two-time Grade 1 queen #2 Matareya (4-5), who is coming off of a powerful tally in the Derby City Distaff S. (G1) beneath the Twin Spires last time out.

Trained by Brad Cox, the four-year-old daughter of Pioneerof the Nile was a debut winner at this location as a juvenile and has been running big ever since. The bay filly sports a 4-3-1-0 mark at the distance, and she also has room to improve while making her third run since August.

This Godolphin homebred has fine gate presence but is more than capable of rallying from off of the early tempo, and she figures to sit a good voyage from second soon after the opening bell on Saturday. Flavien Prat, who has piloted the lass home in six straight races, will be in the silks once again.

For those looking to upend the expected short-priced favorite, #1 Hidden Connection (3-1) has appeal to me on the cut back in trip on this occasion. By Connect, the Bret Calhoun pupil has run route races on five straight occasions, and she got a very good rail post to save ground in behind the pace and get first run on the deeper closing types in the tilt.

The $85,000 two-year-old purchase has yet to regain her sharp juvenile form, but this appears to be a nice spot for her to make a big run while saving ground throughout. Luis Saez inherits the ride atop the four-year-old.

Cotillion S. (G1) vixen #5 Society (2-1) is the likely pace of the race for conditioner Steve Asmussen. The chestnut daughter of Gun Runner has been something of an all-or-nothing type to this stage of her development, but her best performance will make her a viable option for sure with Tyler Gaffalione in the stirrups. The four-year-old will be sent from the start.

Matareya – With

• $20 trifecta key 2 with 1,5 ($40)

Matareya – Against

• $20 exacta 1 with 2 ($20)
• $1 trifecta key 1,5 with 1,2,5 with all ($16)