Pocket Aces Racing and Somewhere Stable Kentucky's Temple City Terror uncorked a sweeping move on the far turn that propelled her to the front at the top of the stretch en route to a three-length victory in the $294,688 Rood & Riddle Dowager (G3) for fillies and mares Sunday at Keeneland.
Trained by Brendan Walsh and ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, Temple City Terror covered the 1 1/2 miles on a firm turf course in a stakes record 2:27.98. The victory gave Gaffalione a sweep of the three weekend stakes and an overall fifth stakes victory of the Fall Meet.
Flying Fortress and Beside Herself jockeyed for the early lead through fractions of :22.66 and :48.14 with Beside Herself taking over with just less than seven furlongs to go. Temple City Terror raced next to last in the run down the backstretch and did not begin to move until Beside Herself had clocked a mile in 1:39.14.
On the turn, Gaffalione steered Temple City Terror to the outside and in the clear to quickly pass half the field. She hit the top of the stretch with a full head of steam four wide and never was challenged in the run to the finish.
A Keeneland sales graduate for $22,000 from breeder Upson Downs Farm consignment, Temple City Terror notched her first graded stakes victory and picked up $174,375 with the triumph that swelled her career earnings to $696,218 with a record of 6-5-5 from 28 career starts. She is a 6-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Temple City out of the More Than Ready mare It Takes Two.
As the second choice in the field of 10, Temple City Terror returned $7.94 to her backers. Luck Money, ridden by Vincent Cheminaud, rallied for second and finished two lengths in front of Sister Otoole under Luis Saez.
It was another three lengths back to Coastana with Flying Fortress, Mia Martina, Core Values, favored Beside Herself, Stand Tall, and Go Big Blue Nation following in order.
Rood & Riddle Dowager (G3) Quotes
Brendan Walsh (trainer of Temple City Terror): “Unbelievable (how she's developed). If you had told me three years ago that she was going to do something like this, I'd have said you were crazy. Once she got her maiden – I think she took eight or nine starts to break her maiden – she gradually, gradually improved. She's as honest as the day is long, and she leaves it all out there. It's great for syndicates like this (owners Pocket Aces Racing and Somewhere Stable Kentucky) to have a horse as good as her, and she's just a pleasure to train.”
On what he learned from the development of Temple City Terror: “I think we learn to be patient, more than anything. Sometimes we can be a little bit too quick to brush them aside. But we stuck with her. To be fair, we did think she'd get better as she got older. She's turned into a lovely, strong mare now, and I just think she's improved as she's gotten stronger.”
Tyler Gaffalione (winning rider): “I was able to look at the (video) screen going by the stands for the first time and I saw :22 and change. I was comfortable with where I was. My (mare) was doing everything very easily. They kept coming back to me, and I didn't want to take anything away from her. She was in good stride, so I just let her be.”
Vincent Cheminaud (rider of runner-up Luck Money): “The last time (when finishing third in the Sept. 13 AGS Ladies Marathon [G3] at Kentucky Downs) she ran very good, and today she ran very good. I had a good trip. She finished good, but the winner was better today. We traveled very good, and my filly was perfect.”
Luis Saez (rider of third-place finisher Sister Otoole): “It was a good trip. We saved ground. Into the stretch she made a move, but the winner was just really tough.”
Flavien Prat (rider of beaten favorite Beside Herself, who finished eighth): “She was really aggressive. I couldn't get her relaxed. She broke well, and I tried to make the lead when I saw I could. I was trying to stay off the leader (early), but she was pulling me a lot and never relaxed after that.”
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