Mutamakina Digs In for E. P. Taylor Stakes Score
Image:
Description:
Photo: Woodbine/Michael Burns Photo
Mutamakina (inside) holds off stablemate La Dragontea to win the E. P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine
Having already won the Aug. 22 Dance Smartly Stakes (G2T) going 1 1/4 miles on the Woodbine turf, Mutamakina used similar pace-stalking tactics to capture the CA$602,000 (US$486,331) E. P. Taylor Stakes (G1T) over the same course and distance Oct. 17.
Jockey Dylan Davis was back aboard the 5-year-old Nathaniel mare for trainer Christophe Clement. Mutamakina pressed the pace in second, and while she had control a quarter-mile out in the Dance Smartly before a half-length victory, it was a closer call Sunday.
She didn't get in front of E. P. Taylor pacesetter Kalifornia Queen until a sixteenth out from the finish line and her stablemate, La Dragontea , rallied from last of 10 to come within a neck at the wire.
"She ran well over here (last out in the Dance Smartly) and we saw an opportunity again to bring her out here," Davis said. "Christophe, first off, did a great job of getting her here. I've been breezing her, setting up for this race, and she's been breezing well and maintained herself and we knew that she would be tough coming here."
Mutamakina, who earned her first top-level victory, completed the 10 furlongs on yielding turf in 2:09.14. She paid $19.80 to win.
Mutamakina is led to the winner's circle after the E.P. Taylor Stakes
"She handled everything great," Davis added. "Last time she put herself in a great position laying second. Today, again, she got her nerves going a little bit more than previously, but she put herself in a great position putting herself second. We slowed down the pace and she was handling it well for me and I just needed her to finish strong. Once she got a head in front there at eighth pole she was digging in nicely. She handled the turf well today."
La Dragontea, winner of the Sept. 18 Canadian Stakes Presented by the Japan Racing Association (G2T) at Woodbine, flew home under Joel Rosario to beat favorite Kalifornia Queen into third by a neck. Kalifornia Queen had led the field into the straight, crawling through fractions of :27.26, :54.46, 1:20.84, and 1:45.35 over the heavy going.
Mutamakina is owned by Al Shira'aa Farms and was initially campaigned in France by the same owner with trainer Carlos Laffon-Parias. She was moved stateside to Clement's barn last fall and has since won three graded stakes. She owns a 5-3-3 record from 16 career starts and has earned $634,509.
Bred in Great Britain by Widgham Stud, Mutamakina is out of the Danehill mare Joshua's Princess, who has seven winners from as many starters and delivered a Camelot colt this year. Mutamakina's third dam is European Horse of the Year Ridgewood Pearl.
Agent Shawn Dugan purchased Mutamakina for the equivalent of $137,225 from New England Stud's consignment to Book 2 of the 2017 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.