LOS ALAMITOS, CA—JULY 27, 2019—Parsons Family Limited Partnership's Thermonuclear Energy successfully defended her title in the $40,000 Matron Stakes after breaking sharply from post number four and pulling away early in the race to score a 1-¼ length victory over nine other top distaffers on Saturday at Los Alamitos.

With Eduardo Nicasio in the irons for trainer Chris O'Dell, Thermonuclear Energy covered the 400 yards in :19.599. A 6-year-old mare by Walk Thru Fire, the Parsons-bred mare won the Matron by ¾ lengths last year. She won the Grade 1 Charger Bar Handicap here in early January, but entered this race after a fifth place finish in the Denim N Diamonds Handicap.

"I didn't think we had her quite tight enough," O'Dell said of Thermonuclear Energy. "When you are messing with a good animal like that, and she runs well fresh, there are just so many pluses. She makes up for all my little mistakes. She did what we wanted her to do. I didn't think we had her ready, but I guess we did. We only want to run her two or three times this year. We want to keep her nice and fresh."

The Grade 1 Mildred Vessels Memorial Handicap in late September is the next goal for this mare according to O'Dell. Thermonuclear Energy earned $22,000 for the win to take her lifetime earnings to $405,757. She's won 11 of 28 career starts.

Ed Allred's Tough To Figure was second across the wire and was followed by Matilda Czech, La Rusa, Zendaya, Just Walk By, Strawfinders Jessee, Time To Leave, Pick A Favorite, and Jacque On Fire.

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Courtesy of www.losalamitos.com.