Kauai Katie keeps record perfect in G2 Matron S.

Malibu Moon’s 2-year-old filly Kauai Katie picked up her second Grade 2 victory to up her record to 3-for-3 on Sunday afternoon at Belmont Park, with an easy 7 1/2-length victory in the $200,000 Matron S.

Along with Kauai Katie, Malibu Moon also accounted for $75,000 Blue Hen S. winner Martha’s Moon this weekend. Kauai Katie’s win pushed Malibu Moon’s progeny earnings for 2012 to over $6 million, eighth-best on the General Sire list.

Kauai Katie tracked Baby J through fractions of 22.88 and 46.67 seconds before drawing alongside that rival on the far turn. Given her cue by jockey Rosie Napravnik at the head of the lane, Kauai Katie quickly separated herself from the field and cruised under the wire in 1:11.26 for the six furlongs.

“It was the first time she’s been behind someone in the early part of the race,” said winning trainer Todd Pletcher. “Based on the way she’s trained, we felt like she would do that, and she’s done that in the mornings without any issues, but it’s always nice to see them adapt to that scenario in the afternoon. She has a tremendous turn of foot. She just quickly put the race away and idled down the last part.”
With the winner’s purse of $120,000, Kauai Katie now has amassed $288,000 in earnings. She followed her 12-length maiden victory in July with a 2 3/4-length win in the Grade 2 Adirondack S., both at Saratoga Race Course.

Pletcher and owner Barbara Banke said a start in the Breeders’ Cup on November 2 and 3 at Santa Anita Park was under consideration for Kauai Katie, possibly in the Juvenile Sprint or the Juvenile Fillies.

“We’re going to plot our strategy,” said Banke. “We’ll hear from Todd maybe tomorrow and see how she’s doing. She did this easy. I hope she got something out of it; she was huffing a little bit.”

Bred by Spendthrift Farm, Kauai Katie is a full sister to Grade 3 winner Winding Way out of the stakes-winning mare More Than Pretty.