Linscott Photography
By Sarah Mace
In just his second attempt to earn black type credentials, Dot Matrix, a 5-year-old gelded son of New York sire Freud (Sequel Stallions), got the job done out-of-state when he rallied from mid-pack to win Indiana Downs’ $100,000 Warrior Veterans Stakes for older turf horses on Saturday evening.
Trained by Brad Cox for Marshall Gramm’s Ten Strike Racing, Dot Matrix broke from post nine in the robust field of 12 to go 1 1/16 miles on the grass.
Early on, the blaze-faced bay settled at the rail in fifth and navigated the clubhouse turn in the clear. Five lengths ahead, second choice Siem Riep set the pace through early fractions of 23.06 and 46.78 while being pressed along by Lanier.
Continuing a ground-saving trip up the backstretch and around the far turn, after six panels in 1:10.52 Dot Matrix rallied into contention between horses in upper stretch.
Driving to the wire with determination, Dot Matrix got up for a one-length victory in the final strides and stopped the clock at 1:41.10. Siem Riep stayed on to finished second, followed 1 1/4 lengths back by One Mean Man. Sent off as the 3-2 favorite under Florent Geroux, Dot Matrix paid $5.60 to win.
John Engelhardt
“I was loaded,” said Geroux. “Great trip. I thought I’d be pretty much on the fence coming into the first turn. And the break, I was pretty much on the outside. But very nice trip from the nine hole.”
A fairly consistent runner for Abby Adsit in 2016 through November 2017, Dot Matrix has been extremely competitive in six starts for Cox. He won a pair of allowance races at Fair Grounds, missed another by a nose, and won an allowance at Keeneland. Last out he finished a solid fourth in the Kingston Stakes on May 28 behind Offering Plan.
“He’s just one of those hard-knockers,” said Rick Giannini, Cox’ assistant. “He’s as honest as the day is long. He rattled off some nice wins, got beat by a nice horse of ours in Arklow at the Fair Grounds. That [win two back] in that Keeneland race [on April 25] a was just unbelievable. If anybody watches the race, they will not believe he even won the race. He just showed his heart and class in that race.”
Continued Giannini, “Sending him to New York [for the Kingston] was a tall order. Those New York-bred stakes are not a walk in the park, for sure. And Brad thought it was a great idea to come down here. This race set up well for him, and Florent gave him a great ride, tucked there on the fence, parted the seas and came on through. He’s one of those horses who gives you a lot of confidence, too. I thought he’d be a little more forwardly placed. But when they kind of got away from him, Florent did the right thing and took him back, saved ground, and it all worked out well.”
Bred by Truxton Stables and foaled at Winslow Stevens and Philippe Lasseur’s Keane Stud in Amenia, Dot Matrix is one of four winners out of Aunt Dot Dot by Gulch, whose second foal, PA-bred Aunt Ellipsis by Successful Appeal, is also a black type winner. Aunt Dot Dot had a successful racing career in her own right, winning six races and earning $213,915. The mare has an unnamed yearling filly by Normandy Invasion, but lost her Freud foal this year.
With seven wins, three seconds and three thirds from 23 starts, Dot Matrix has earned $309,051.
