Miss Temple City Upsets the Boys in $300,000 Maker’s 46 Mile

LEXINGTON, KY (April 15, 2016) – Sagamore Farm, Allen Rosenblum and The Club Racing, LLC’s Miss Temple City became the first filly to win the $300,000 Maker’s 46 Mile (G1) for older horses before a sun-splashed Friday afternoon crowd of 17,645.

Ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, Miss Temple City collared the pace-setting Heart to Heart at midstretch to draw clear for a 1¼-length victory.

Trained by Graham Motion, Miss Temple City covered the mile on a firm turf course in 1:34.09. The victory was worth $180,000 and increased the winner’s earnings to $562,799 with a record of 10-4-3-2.

It was the first victory in the race for Motion and Van Dyke, who scored his first Keeneland stakes win.

Heart to Heart, under Julien Leparoux, carved out fractions of :23.30 and :46.03 with only mild pressure coming from Shining Copper. Miss Temple City raced in third next to the rail through the first half-mile.

On the far turn, Miss Temple City shifted to the outside and shot past Shining Copper and took dead aim on Heart to Heart. The two dueled through the upper stretch before the filly pulled away for her first graded stakes victory.

Miss Temple City, a Keeneland sale graduate, is a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Temple City out of the Artax mare Glittering Tax.

She returned $14.60, $6.60 and $3.80. Heart to Heart paid $4.40 and $3.20 and finished 1¼ lengths in front of favored Tourist who paid $3 to show under Jose Lezcano.

It was another 3½ lengths back to Reload in fourth. Completing the field in order were Conquest Typhoon, Itsaknockout, Shining Copper, Are You Kidding Me and Dac.

Racing continues Saturday with an 11-race program that begins at 12:35 p.m. ET. Four stakes are on the card, highlighted by the 28^th running of the $350,000 Coolmore Jenny Wiley (G1) that features the return to Keeneland of 2015 Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) winner Tepin. The Coolmore Jenny Wiley is the 10^th race of the afternoon with a 5:32 post time.

Quotes for $300,000 Maker’s 46 Mile (G1)

Graham Motion (winning trainer of Miss Temple City)

On deciding to run her in the Maker’s 46 Mile after cross-entering her in Saturday’s Coolmore Jenny Wiley (G1) against females, including champion Tepin

“Tepin’s already beaten the boys. She’s proved she’s one of the best milers in the country – if not the best miler in the country. I really wasn’t crazy about running against her.

“I loved the fact that we got the weight today; (jockey) Drayden (Van Dyke) could do the weight. (Miss Temple City carried 113 pounds from five to seven pounds less than her male rivals.) He suits this filly so well. I think this filly is better than she was last year. She’s improved physically. She looks like a colt.”

Drayden Van Dyke (winning jockey)

“(I had an) ideal trip. Couldn’t have asked for a better trip. (When I asked her to respond) she took off like a rocket. She’s such a nice filly.”

Julien Leparoux (rider of runner-up Heart to Heart)

“We were expecting (Shining Copper to press the pace). We broke so sharp that by the first turn we were already in front so we were committed to being on the lead. We did go a little bit quick, but he fought the whole time and ran a huge race. He tried hard. We had a good race, but when you have the speed and you have the favorite, you’re usually the target. That that was the case today.”

Jose Lezcano (rider of third-place finisher Tourist)

“I got a very good trip. I got in good position. The pace was very good. I had plenty of horse, so I followed the horse in front of me (Miss Temple City) and when I asked he gave me the kick I needed. The horse in front (Miss Temple City) can run. It was still a very good race.”

Javier Castellano (rider of fourth-place finisher Reload)

“I had a beautiful trip. I covered up behind the winner all the way. Turning for home, I didn’t have the horse today.”

Keeneland