Pretty N Cool heads Matron; Kitten's Point favored in Dowager

Unable to match strides with California's leading two-year-old filly, Songbird, in the Del Mar Debutante (G2) last time, Pretty N Cool will bypass a rematch in the October 31 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) and stick to one-turn races for the time being. The Bob Baffert-trained gray leads a field of six for Sunday's $200,000 Matron (G2) over six furlongs at Belmont Park.

A daughter of Scat Daddy, Pretty N Cool came out running at the beginning of the Del Mar meet, winning her debut by 4 1/2 lengths and then taking the Sorrento (G2) by 2 3/4 lengths over subsequent Alcibiades (G1) winner Gomo. A 5 1/4-length drubbing from Songbird in the Debutante effectively ended her championship aspirations, and she did not go for a rematch in the Chandelier (G1) at Santa Anita or ship east to Keeneland for the Alcibiades.

Trainer Todd Pletcher will send out the uncoupled pair of Island Saint and Tonasah. The front-running fillies both won at first asking in July, with Island Saint subsequently third in the $77,000 Sorority at Monmouth and Tonasah second in the Adirondack (G2) and fifth in the Spinaway (G1) at Saratoga.

"We probably ran her back a little too quick for the Spinaway," Pletcher said. "I think she'll benefit from having a little more space between races since then and now."

Also exiting the Spinaway is Constellation, who faded to third after pressing a fast pace. The Matron field is rounded out by Libreta, a 6 1/2-lengthh maiden winner for Godolphin late last month, and debut winner Wave of Glory.

At Keeneland on Sunday, Kitten's Point goes for a sweep of the track's marathon grass events for older fillies and mares in the $125,000 Dowager (G3) over 1 1/2 miles. Exiting a victory in the $100,000 Mrs. Penny at Parx against Pennsylvania-breds, the five-year-old captured the course-and-distance Bewitch (G3) by a half-length last April.

Other leading contenders include Robert D. Dick Memorial (G3) winner Ceisteach; Honey Lake, winner of the $85,000 CTT & TOC H. at Del Mar two back; and Miss Chatelaine, a three-year-old coming off an allowance win at Belmont going 1 1/4 miles.

(Pretty N Cool photo: Benoit Photos)