Matron

MAGICAL RIDE (Storm Cat), the 7-5 morning-line favorite, figures to take

plenty of action at the windows in Saturday's Matron S. (G1) at Belmont Park,

but we're going to tab CASH'S GIRL (Northern Afleet) for the upset.

Cash's Girl, a three-quarter sister to champion and dual classic winner

Afleet Alex, broke her maiden impressively in her debut at

Delaware Park for trainer Tim Ritchey, who also conditioned Afleet Alex. The

dark bay broke quickly and dueled for the lead along the rail while in hand

through opening fractions of :22 2/5 and :46 1/5. Turning for home, she easily

began to draw off from the field without being asked, eventually winning the 5

1/2-furlong event by 11 3/4 lengths in 1:04 3/5. Cash's Girl probably didn't

beat anything, but the way she did it could not have been more impressive.

Magical Ride, out of 2001 Test S. (G1) heroine Victory Ride (Seeking the

Gold), broke her maiden in front-running fashion by four lengths in her debut at

Belmont Park, running five furlongs in a swift :57. In her most recent outing,

the Rusty Arnold trainee broke quickly to a clear lead, turned back a bid from

Chagall (Successful Appeal) and then Tora (El Corredor), edged clear near the

furlong marker, then weakened visibly near the wire, finishing third, beaten two

lengths as the 4-5 favorite in the Adirondack Breeders' Cup S. (G2) at Saratoga.

The speedy Magical Ride will have negotiate another sixteenth of a mile here and

could be vulnerable at short odds.

Could trainer Todd Pletcher saddle yet another two-year-old filly that pays

well in a graded stakes race? OCTAVE (Unbridled's Song) was hustled along the

inside, angled out, then drove to a 1 1/2-length victory over True Addiction

(Yes It's True) and Magical Ride in the Adirondack, returning a generous $21.60.

She might not be given the respect she deserves and could go forth at overlaid

odds. FEATHERBED (Smart Strike), also trained by Pletcher, defeated maidens in

her second start at

Saratoga by 9 1/4 lengths after breaking quickly and setting the pace while

running well off the rail. She goes under first-call rider John Velazquez.

ETERNAL GRACE (Glided Time) was blocked along the rail near the quarter-mile

pole, then dueled along the inside before finishing second, beaten a head at

3-5, in the Sorority S. at Monmouth Park. The speedy Kelly Breen trainee has some upset

potential. MEADOW BREEZE (Meadowlake) got shelled in the Mountaineer Juvenile

Fillies S. then finished second in the restricted, off-the-turf P. G. Johnson S.

at the Spa. She would be a surprise here.