Jody’s Pride edges clear to win the Matron Oct. 8 (Chelsea Durand)
NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y.— Parkland Thoroughbreds’ Kentucky homebred Jody’s Pride, co-owned with Sportsmen Stable, could target the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Santa Anita Park on November 3 after drawing off to a strong 3 1/4-length score in Sunday’s $150,000 Matron, a six-furlong sprint for juveniles that was moved off the turf, at Belmont at the Big A.
Trained by Jorge Abreu, the daughter of American Pharoah is undefeated through two lifetime outings, her other victory coming with a 10 1/2-length romp in her August 9 debut at Saratoga Race Course, which was also an off-the-turf event.
While a trip to the Breeders’ Cup for either the Juvenile Fillies or Juvenile Fillies Turf certainly remains on the table, Steve Weston of Parkland Thoroughbreds said he is content to take his time with his beloved homebred as she would make her first start beyond sprint distances at the Breeders’ Cup.
“She’s doing well and we had a discussion this morning about where to go and what to do. I hope we can go, and ego says we want one of our own there, but we are more concerned about her future,” Weston said. “It’s a big ask to go a mile or a mile and a sixteenth for the first time against the best in the world. We just don’t want to put her in over her head.”
Weston added that should they decide to make the trip to California, the Juvenile Fillies Turf would be their race of choice as opposed to the Juvenile Fillies on dirt.
“I’m leaving the decision on turf or dirt up to Jorge, but I think he would prefer to go on the grass going only a mile versus a mile and a sixteenth on the dirt,” Weston continued. “Turf is our first choice, but we have to be realistic because the European horses may make it hard to get into the turf and it would be easier to get into the dirt race.”
The Juvenile Fillies Turf would mark a turf debut for Jody’s Pride, who is well bred for the grass as her mother, the Parkland Thoroughbreds-campaigned Jody’s Song, was undefeated through two starts on grass. Additionally, her sire, 2015 Triple Crown Champion American Pharoah, has produced Grade 1-winning turf fillies Harvey’s Lil Goil and Marketsegmentation.
“We bought Jody’s Song as a yearling at the Fasig-Tipton sale in Saratoga. She had a short career and fortunately, I was able to send her to Coolmore to live as a broodmare,” said Weston. “I chose Uncle Mo for her first mating and she had a lighter-bodied filly. Then the second time, I saw that Pharoah has been doing really well on the turf and Jody’s Song was a turf horse. The people at Coolmore said Jody’s Pride was one of the nicest little fillies that was born on the farm. Jody’s Song and her foals couldn’t have gotten better care than they did at Coolmore.”
Jody’s Song produced two more colts by American Pharoah before passing away this year, leaving Weston hopeful that Jody’s Pride can continue a great legacy for her late dam.
“It’s been a very exciting time for us and we are excited about her future,” said Weston. “When you breed one and get these wins, it is different than purchasing the horse. It’s very special and now we have problems that are good problems.”
