Gina Romantica will try to polish off an exceptional career Sunday the same way she started out two and a half years ago, with a come-from-behind win as the favorite in a big field. The stakes are higher in the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes at Del Mar compared to the Tampa Bay Downs maiden race Gina Romantica won in spring 2022. Her reputation also is higher, and the 5-year-old mare would give trainer Chad Brown his fifth straight win in the Matriarch. Brown trains four of the 12 entrants in the filly-mare turf mile that he has won six of the last seven years. Prerequisite, Tax Implications, and Child of the Moon provide backup for Brown, who swept the top four positions last year in the Matriarch. Another 1-2-3-4 finish is not likely, Brown acknowledged. “I just want to get the 1. If any of them were to win, I’d be very happy.” The race-7 Matriarch is the final stakes on closing day of the Del Mar autumn meet, and one of three turf stakes Sunday. Race 3 is the $100,000 Stormy Liberal, a sprint in which Sorrento Sky seeks an upset over more accomplished stablemates. Race 5 is the Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille, a mile race for 2-year-olds in which trouble-prone maiden Scipio enters as a borderline standout. :: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports Gina Romantica faces a solid field in the Matriarch, including Ag Bullet, who is stretching out after finishing third in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. Child of the Moon and Prerequisite ran one-two last out in a listed stakes at Aqueduct. Mouffy finished a troubled fourth in a Grade 3, and front-running allowance filly Kehoe Beach ensures an honest pace. Gina Romantica arrived at Del Mar on Tuesday, a month later than planned. After she won the Grade 1 First Lady Stakes on Oct. 5 at Keeneland, Brown targeted the Breeders’ Cup Mile. A quarter crack negated those plans, and Gina Romantica stayed home. “She missed about a week of training, but she’s back into a good work schedule now,” Brown said. “I like the way she’s going into the race. This will be it for her, this is her last career race.” Peter Brant owns Gina Romantica, the class of the field with six wins and $1,786,228 from 16 starts. The 5-year-old Into Mischief mare will join Brant’s broodmare band after the Matriarch. Jose Ortiz rides Gina Romantica, who drew post 11. It’s not a great post, but hardly insurmountable. In turf miles at Del Mar the past decade, posts 9-11 each produced nearly 10 percent winners. Gina Romantica has pace to run at in the Matriarch, led by her main rival. Ag Bullet has a score to settle with Gina Romantica. They met two months ago in the First Lady at Keeneland when Ag Bullet finished fourth as the favorite. Trainer Richard Baltas believes front-runner Ag Bullet was compromised by circumstances. “We drew the 10 hole, and I knew we were in trouble because of the way the turf was playing, everything was coming off the pace,” Baltas said. “She went way too fast [six furlongs in 1:09.88], and Mike [Smith] didn’t know her. There are a few excuses.” Ag Bullet subsequently missed by a neck in the BC Turf Sprint under regular rider Umberto Rispoli, who rides Sunday. The question is whether Ag Bullet can carry her speed two turns in a race likely to unfold at a fast tempo. “She’s won going a mile twice,” Baltas noted. “She hasn’t beaten this kind going a mile, but I’m not worried about the distance. There is speed in there. She’s probably the speed of the speed.” Ag Bullet, a 4-year-old who has won 6 of 11, faces front-runners Kehoe Beach and Tirupati. If there is an upset in the Matriarch, chances are the winner will be one of the other three Brown trainees. Prerequisite, runner-up in the Athenia Stakes at Aqueduct, makes her third start after a long layoff. She shortens Sunday from nine furlongs to eight. “She has enough speed. Maybe she’ll get a good forward, close-to-the-pace trip and have first run,” Brown said. Flavien Prat rides. Child of the Moon won the Athenia. :: Subscribe to the DRF Post Time Email Newsletter: Get the news you need to play today's races!  “The one question mark for her is going to be the one-mile distance. It might be a little tight for her, but she’s in a good form cycle right now and she has a terrific turn of foot,” Brown said. Manny Franco rides Child of the Moon. Tax Implications moved too soon in the Grade 2 Dance Smartly at Woodbine and finished third. “This mile distance works well for the short run she has,” Brown said. “I’d like to see her pocketed up, not too far away.” Joel Rosario rides. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.