Grade 1 winner for Bated Breath

Juddmonte homebred Viadera won the Gr.1 Matriarch Stakes at Del Mar, capping a great weekend for Bated Breath in the US after another daughter, Feel Glorious, added another stakes win to her tally at Aqueduct on Friday.

Taken from the Thoroughbred Daily News, 30th November 2020:

Chad Brown stablemates Viadera (Bated Breath) and Blowout (Dansili) took their show on the road, but the result was the same as once again Juddmonte's Viadera got the best of her gutsy rival to win the Gr.1 Matriarch Stakes with a dramatic late surge at Del Mar Sunday (29th November). When the duo last met, Viadera was just able to get to the line first after Blowout set a torrid pace in the Gr.3 Noble Damsel Stakes at Belmont Park.

Blowout zipped out to the early lead at Del Mar Sunday, was clear around the first turn but Juddmonte homebred Juliet Foxtrot (Dansili) surged to the lead midway down the backstretch and was two lengths in front of Blowout as Viadera remained unhurried near the back of the pack. Juliet Foxtrot was still in front at the top of the lane, but Blowout reengaged that foe as they passed the three-quarters. The Peter Brant colour bearer took a slim lead with a furlong to run, but Viadera was finding a seam to run through and closed powerfully to just get on top on the line.

"I had to work for that one,' admitted winning rider Joel Rosario. "She's a good filly, a really good filly. But she makes you work. I had to stay after her. She can run, though, there's no doubt. I'm lucky that Chad Brown gives me an opportunity like this. Grass horses and especially fillies. He's the best."

Viadera's win capped a successful holiday weekend on the west coast for Brown, who also won the Gr.1 Hollywood Derby, Gr.3 Jimmy Durante Stakes, and Gr.3 Red Carpet Handicap, and was second in the Gr.2 Seabiscuit Stakes.

Group placed in Ireland with trainer Ger Lyons, Viadera was transferred to Chad Brown this summer. Fourth behind fellow Brown trainee Newspaperofrecord while making her stateside debut over a yielding turf course in the Gr.3 Intercontinental Stakes, she earned her first U.S. win in the De La Rose Stakes at Saratoga. She made it two in a row when she nailed Blowout on the line to win the Gr.3 Noble Damsel last time out.​