Miss Temple City Determined in G3 Ladies Turf

FRANKLIN, KY – Trainer Graham Motion’s Miss Temple City was determined to return to the winner’s circle, overtaking a strong-running Zipessa in the final furlong to win Saturday’s Grade 3, $350,000 Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf.

Miss Temple City tracked Zipessa’s early pace through the first 6 furlongs, never allowing the leader more than 1 1/2-length lead. Miss Temple City made a bid in the upper stretch under jockey Edgar Prado and locked in with Zipessa for a stretch-length duel. The multiple-graded stakes winner’s class showed in the final steps, as Miss Temple City crossed first by a neck in a final time of 1:36.91 for the mile-long turf race.

“She settled off the pace nice and relaxed, and when I asked her, she gave me that kick,” Prado said. “When I turned her loose, she went by that horse easy, and she thought it was all over; she tried to slow down a bit. But she got the job done, and everybody is happy.”

Linda used an inside trip to sit third throughout the entire race, crossing the line 1 length ahead of Beauly. Susie Bee nosed out Seeking Paradise for fifth. Hone In and Majestic Angel were scratched.

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The win was Miss Temple City’s first in 2017 after having trouble relaxing before her previous two starts this year.

“At Ascot, she was very nervous in the post parade, and even when I took her to the gate, she was anxious,” Prado said. “She lost the race there in the post parade, and she was nervous at Monmouth, too. But today she was relaxed, walked, stood for me. She was much better.”

Miss Temple City returned $3.60 to win, $2.80 to place, and $2.10 to show. Zipessa brought back $3.80 to place and $2.40 to show, while Linda paid $2.20 to show.