Another Stakes Win for Frankel

The late Charlie Whittingham holds the record for most stakes victories during Hollywood Park’s fall meet, having won six in 1984.

Considering how Bobby Frankel has started in Inglewood, the mark is in danger of falling before the season ends Dec. 17.

Frankel has won both of the stakes offered during the first four days of the meet after favored Heads Will Roll overtook 2-1 second choice Live Your Dreams near the wire to win the $100,000 Matiara on Saturday.

Ridden by Alex Solis for Amerman Racing Stables, the 3-year-old, English-bred filly won by a half-length as the 17-10 choice and completed the 11/8 miles on turf in 1:47 3/5.

This was the second victory in a row for Heads Will Roll, who had returned from a five-month layoff to win a division of the Pebbles Handicap last month at Belmont Park.

“She’s a nice little filly,” said Frankel after winning his 44th stakes race of the year and getting the 800th victory of his career at Hollywood Park, second only to Whittingham’s 859. “She always tries hard. “I didn’t know if she was going to get the other filly [Live Your Dreams] at the eighth pole. I couldn’t tell if Alex was riding her with confidence or if she just came and got the other filly. I have to watch the replay.”

Heads Will Roll, who was twice runner-up at Santa Anita and third at Churchill Downs in her first three starts in this country earlier in the year, has improved with age, according to Solis.

“She is a much better filly than when I rode her earlier in the year at Santa Anita,” said Solis. “She used to get a little nervous, a little rank. Bobby’s done a great job with her getting her to relax.

“She came out of the gate real relaxed today and, luckily, I got a good pace in front of me. At the eighth pole, I thought I had [Live Your Dreams] because my filly was running strongly and Gary [Stevens] was riding hard [on the runner-up]. At that point, I was concerned with somebody coming from behind, but I didn’t hear anybody. We just went on and got the job done.”

For Live Your Dreams, it was her fourth second-place finish in six starts on the Hollywood Park turf.

“No complaints,” said Stevens. “We had a really good trip. Heads Will Roll just ran us down the last 50 yards.”

Waki Music, Frankel’s other entrant, finished third after opening up a long lead, a neck in front of 5-2 third choice Gabriellina Giof. Alinga, Thewholebag and Walts Wharf completed the order of finish.

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Queue won her first graded stakes with a decisive victory in the $150,000 Long Island Handicap at Aqueduct.

Ridden by Jose Espinoza for owners Gerald Robbins and Jay Weiss and trainer Vincent Blengs, the 4-year-old French Deputy filly was well off the pace early, but made a big move while running wide around the far turn, took the lead with a furlong to go and drew away. At the end, the 5-1 shot had 21/2 lengths on Sweetest Thing and completed the 11/2 miles on turf in 2:29 1/5.

“I thought she was very unlucky to lose her last two at the Meadowlands,” said Mike Lerman, who saddled the horse for Blengs. “With her, distance is the key. She just needs a clean trip and some pace to run at.

“I would imagine the La Prevoyante [Dec. 29 at Calder] will be her next start because her owners are from Florida. I don’t want to take credit for this win. I just baby sit and make sure the tack is on straight.”

Sweetest Thing, a 7-1 shot, was second, a head in front of 26-1 outsider Lady Dora. Moon Queen, the 9-5 favorite, finished fifth under jockey John Velasquez.

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Watch, a 5-1 shot, won for the fourth time in seven starts on turf, beating longshot Sitka by a length in the $169,350 Cardinal Handicap at Churchill Downs.

Ridden by Craig Perret for Claiborne Farm and trainer Frank Brothers, the 4-year-old Lord At War filly completed the 11/8miles in 1:49. It was her eighth win in 17 starts and the first stakes win for Brothers at Churchill Downs since July 2000.