Having posted a career-best 108 Beyer Speed Figure in winning Keeneland's GI Maker's 46 Mile during the spring meeting and given the presence of champion Tepin (Bernstein) in the sex-restricted GI First Lady S., it seemed logical enough to try Miss Temple City back against the boys in the GI Shadwell Turf Mile, a “Win and You're In” qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile. And the 4-year-old filly proved equal to the task yet again, pouncing from just off the pace and then holding off a desperate late run from Ironicus for the victory.
A luckless and controversial runner-up in last year's GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup, Miss Temple City resumed in fine fashion in this year's Maker's 46, then was far from disgraced when fourth in the G2 Duke of Cambridge S. over a turf course perhaps easier than she likes it at Royal Ascot June 15, just 24 hours after Tepin's win in the G1 Queen Anne S. Fourth, beaten all of a neck, in the GI Diana S. on her American comebacker July 23, the dark bay was pinched back late when fifth in the GII Ballston Spa S. Aug. 27, a race which produced Saturday's GI Flower Bowl S. winner Lady Eli (Divine Park).
Away alertly, Miss Temple City led under the wire for the first time, but was happy to take back into second and allow longshot Pleuven (Fr) (Turtle Bowl {Ire}) to go on with it from his low draw. There was no real change on the engine, but Tourist went for an early run while three wide and made a line of three on the swing for home. Miss Temple City poked her head in front nearing midstretch, putting away Pleuven and Tourist, but in spite of a slow pace, the back markers were winding up with their runs. Ironicus, near the tail turning for home, peeled out to the middle of the track and stormed down the center, but the wire came first for Miss Temple City. Tourist held for third just ahead of GI Arlington Million hero Mondialiste (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and a troubled Million runner-up Kasaqui (Arg) (Lasting Approval).
“She's the best filly I've ever trained,” said trainer Graham Motion, who took Friday's GI Darley Alcibiades S. with Dancing Rags (Union Rags). “She's spectacular. My frustration was over the summer when it seemed we got a little lost with her. She had some tough trips. I'm glad the crew talked me into running her here today. I think I would have chosen to go the other way [and run her in the GI First Lady two races earlier]. But this was the right thing to do; we took a shot. She's a very special filly. I think she's been on form all summer. It's just been frustrating that she hasn't been able to show it on the race track.”
Pedigree Note:
Miss Temple City is a full-sister to GIII Sweetest Chant S. heroine Pricedtoperfection, a $230,000 OBSAPR buy who most recently finished third in the GIII Commonwealth Oaks Sept. 24; and has a 2-year-old half-sister named Five Each Way (Bullet Train {GB}). Her dam Glittering Tax sold for $275,000 at last term's Fasig-Tipton November sale carrying a foal by Verrazano. She gave birth to that Verrazano filly Apr. 18 and was bred back to Medaglia d'Oro. Miss Temple City is one of two Grade I winners for her young sire, the other being GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile winner Bolo.
Saturday, Keeneland
SHADWELL TURF MILE S.-GI, $1,000,000, KEE, 10-8, 3yo/up, 1mT, 1:37.04, fm.
1–MISS TEMPLE CITY, 123, f, 4, by Temple City
1st Dam: Glittering Tax (SP), by Artax
2nd Dam: Nancy's Glitter, by Glitterman
3rd Dam: Starfire Voyage, by Fire Dancer
($10,000 RNA Ylg '13 KEEJAN). O-The Club Racing LLC,
Allen Rosenblum & Sagamore Farm; B-Bobfeld Bloodstock
(KY); T-H. Graham Motion; J-Edgar S. Prado. $600,000. Lifetime
Record: 14-5-3-2, $1,213,038. *Full to Pricedtoperfection,
GSW, $268,135.[bullet ad=”feld-fambred”][bullet ad=”hidden-brook-hip-135″][bullet ad=”kbif-g1″][bullet ad=”kings-equine-single-bullet”][bullet ad=”irt-shell”] Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Ironicus, 126, h, 5, Distorted Humor–Meghan's Joy, by A.P.
Indy. O/B-Stuart S. Janney, III LLC (KY); T-Claude R. McGaughey
III. $200,000.
3–Tourist, 126, h, 5, Tiznow–Unbridled Melody, by Unbridled's
Song. O-WinStar Farm LLC, Wachtel Stable & Gary Barber;
B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-William I. Mott. $100,000.
Margins: HD, HF, 1. Odds: 7.70, 3.00, 5.20.[bullet ad=”winstar-bred”][bullet ad=”irt-shell”]Also Ran: Mondialiste (Ire), Kasaqui (Arg), Pleuven (Fr), Ring Weekend, What a View, Grand Arch, Tower of Texas, Triple Threat (Fr). Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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