The Matriarch Stakes

The Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes

The Matriarch Stakes is a premier Grade I Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares aged three years and older, contested over one mile (8 furlongs) on turf at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. It serves as the marquee event of Del Mar’s Bing Crosby Fall Meeting, typically closing the meet in early December. The race attracts elite international and domestic contenders, often featuring East Coast shippers and European imports, and has been a springboard for Eclipse Award winners and Breeders’ Cup champions since its inception.

History

The Matriarch Stakes is a prestigious Grade I Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares aged three years old or older, contested over one mile on turf. Inaugurated on November 22, 1981, at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California, the race was created to honor outstanding female turf performers. The inaugural winner was the Irish-bred Kilijaro, ridden by Hall of Famer Laffit Pincay Jr. and trained by Hall of Famer Charles E. Whittingham, who defeated the 1980 U.S. Champion Older Female Horse Glorious Song by 2½ lengths in a time of 1:47.00 over 1⅛ miles.

In 1982, the race was split into two divisions due to a strong field, with both won by jockey Ray Sibille. It was elevated to Grade I status in 1983 by the American Graded Stakes Committee and has held that distinction since. The distance varied early on—primarily 1⅛ miles from 1981 to 1994 and 1999–2003, extended to 1¼ miles in 1995–1998—but was standardized at one mile starting in 2003. The race was not held in 2005 due to turf renovation issues at Hollywood Park.

Following the closure of Hollywood Park in 2013, the Matriarch Stakes moved to Del Mar Racetrack, where it has been run annually as part of the track’s Fall Meeting, typically on the final day in early December. It often follows the Breeders’ Cup and attracts top international and domestic talent, serving as a key end-of-year test for female turf horses. The race offers a purse of $300,000 and has produced several U.S. Champion Female Turf Horses and Breeders’ Cup winners.

Notable Winners

The Matriarch Stakes has crowned champions who achieved further glory, including multiple Breeders’ Cup victors and Eclipse Award winners as U.S. Champion Female Turf Horse. Below is a list of standout winners, highlighting their achievements:

2023: Surge Capacity – Upset victory; ridden by Joel Rosario, trained by Chad C. Brown.
2022 & 2021: Regal Glory – Back-to-back wins; 2022 marked her retirement race. Ridden by Flavien Prat (2022) and Jose L. Ortiz (2021), trained by Chad C. Brown. Eclipse Award finalist.
2020: Viadera (GB) – Set stakes record; later placed in Breeders’ Cup. Ridden by Joel Rosario, trained by Chad C. Brown.
2019: Got Stormy – Dominant wire-to-wire win. Ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, trained by Mark Casse.
2018: Uni (GB) – Followed by Breeders’ Cup Mile win and 2019 Eclipse Award as U.S. Champion Female Turf Horse. Ridden by Joel Rosario, trained by Chad C. Brown.
2016: Miss Temple City – Career highlight en route to further stakes success. Ridden by Edgar S. Prado, trained by H. Graham Motion.
2009: Ventura – Multiple Grade 1 winner; part of a dominant Frankel-trained era. Ridden by Garrett K. Gomez, trained by James W. Chapman (wait, correction from history: Humberto Ascanio).
2004: Intercontinental (GB) – Won next year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf and Eclipse Award as U.S. Champion Female Turf Horse. Ridden by Jerry D. Bailey, trained by Robert J. Frankel.
2001: Starine (FR) – Won 2002 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Ridden by John R. Velazquez, trained by Robert J. Frankel.
1997: Ryafan – Earned 1997 Eclipse Award as U.S. Champion Female Turf Horse. Ridden by Alex O. Solis, trained by Robert J. Frankel.
1996: Wandesta (GB) – Set 1¼-mile record. Ridden by Corey Nakatani, trained by Robert J. Frankel.
1993, 1992, 1991: Flawlessly – Three-peat; Hall of Famer and two-time U.S. Champion Female Turf Horse (1993, 1994). Ridden by Chris McCarron, trained by Charles E. Whittingham.
1984: Royal Heroine (IRE) – Won inaugural Breeders’ Cup Mile and 1984 Eclipse Award as U.S. Champion Female Turf Horse. Ridden by Fernando Toro, trained by John Gosden.

The Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes Race Winners

Date: December 1, 2024 – Sacred Wish, Jockey – John R. Velazquez, Trainer – George Weaver
Date: December 3, 2023 – Surge Capacity, Jockey – Joel Rosario, Trainer – Chad C. Brown
Date: November 6, 2022 – Regal Glory, Jockey – Flavien Prat, Trainer – Chad C. Brown
Date: December 5, 2021 – Regal Glory, Jockey – Jose L. Ortiz, Trainer – Chad C. Brown
Date: December 6, 2020 – Viadera (GB), Jockey – Joel Rosario, Trainer – Chad C. Brown
Date: December 1, 2019 – Got Stormy, Jockey – Tyler Gaffalione, Trainer – Mark Casse
Date: December 2, 2018 – Uni (GB), Jockey – Joel Rosario, Trainer – Chad C. Brown
Date: December 3, 2017 – Off Limits (IRE), Jockey – Joel Rosario, Trainer – Chad C. Brown
Date: November 27, 2016 – Miss Temple City, Jockey – Edgar S. Prado, Trainer – H. Graham Motion
Date: December 6, 2015 – Stormy Lucy, Jockey – Kent J. Desormeaux, Trainer – Eddie Delany
Date: December 7, 2014 – La Tia, Jockey – Joel Rosario, Trainer – Armando De la Cerda
Date: December 8, 2013 – Egg Drop, Jockey – Martin Garcia, Trainer – Mike R. Mitchell
Date: December 2, 2012 – Better Lucky, Jockey – Eddie Castro, Trainer – Thomas Albertrani
Date: December 4, 2011 – Star Billing, Jockey – Víctor Espinoza, Trainer – John Shirreffs
Date: December 5, 2010 – Gypsy’s Warning (SAF), Jockey – Joel Rosario, Trainer – H. Graham Motion
Date: December 6, 2009 – Ventura, Jockey – Garrett K. Gomez, Trainer – Humberto Ascanio
Date: December 7, 2008 – Cocoa Beach (CHI), Jockey – Ramón A. Domínguez, Trainer – Saeed bin Suroor
Date: December 2, 2007 – Precious Kitten, Jockey – Rafael Bejarano, Trainer – Robert J. Frankel
Date: December 3, 2006 – Price Tag (GB), Jockey – Edgar S. Prado, Trainer – Robert J. Frankel
Date: December 4, 2004 – Intercontinental (GB), Jockey – Jerry D. Bailey, Trainer – Robert J. Frankel
Date: December 7, 2003 – Heat Haze (GB), Jockey – John R. Velazquez, Trainer – Robert J. Frankel
Date: December 1, 2002 – Dress To Thrill (IRE), Jockey – Pat Smullen, Trainer – Dermot Weld
Date: December 2, 2001 – Starine (FR), Jockey – John R. Velazquez, Trainer – Robert J. Frankel
Date: December 3, 2000 – Tout Charmant, Jockey – Chris McCarron, Trainer – Ron McAnally
Date: December 5, 1999 – Happyanunoit (NZ), Jockey – Brice Blanc, Trainer – Robert J. Frankel
Date: December 6, 1998 – Squeak (GB), Jockey – Alex O. Solís, Trainer – Ben Cecil
Date: December 7, 1997 – Ryafan, Jockey – Alex O. Solís, Trainer – Robert J. Frankel
Date: December 1, 1996 – Wandesta (GB), Jockey – Corey Nakatani, Trainer – Robert J. Frankel
Date: December 3, 1995 – Duda, Jockey – Jerry D. Bailey, Trainer – William I. Mott
Date: December 4, 1994 – Exchange, Jockey – Laffit Pincay Jr., Trainer – William Spawr
Date: December 5, 1993 – Flawlessly, Jockey – Chris McCarron, Trainer – Charlie Whittingham
Date: December 6, 1992 – Flawlessly, Jockey – Chris McCarron, Trainer – Charlie Whittingham
Date: December 8, 1991 – Flawlessly, Jockey – Chris McCarron, Trainer – Charlie Whittingham
Date: December 2, 1990 – Countus In, Jockey – Corey Nakatani, Trainer – Steven M. Rieser
Date: December 3, 1989 – Claire Marine (IRE), Jockey – Chris McCarron, Trainer – Charlie Whittingham
Date: December 4, 1988 – Nastique, Jockey – Bill Shoemaker, Trainer – Stephen A. DiMauro
Date: December 6, 1987 – Asteroid Field, Jockey – Aaron Gryder, Trainer – John Gosden
Date: December 7, 1986 – Auspiciante (ARG), Jockey – Cash Asmussen, Trainer – Ron McAnally
Date: December 8, 1985 – Fact Finder, Jockey – Sandy Hawley, Trainer – Charlie Whittingham
Date: December 9, 1984 – Royal Heroine (IRE), Jockey – Fernando Toro, Trainer – John Gosden
Date: December 4, 1983 – Sangue Royal (IRE), Jockey – Bill Shoemaker, Trainer – Henry Cecil
Date: December 12, 1982 – Castilla, Jockey – Ray Sibille, Trainer – Charlie Whittingham
Date: December 5, 1981 – Kilijaro (IRE), Jockey – Laffit Pincay Jr., Trainer – Charlie Whittingham