Just Bought Temple City Terror Pays Off in Long Island
Image:
Description:
Photo: Coglianese Photos
Temple City Terror captures the Long Island Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack
Town and Country Racing's Temple City Terror , perfectly handled by Jose Ortiz, rallied to a comfortable 1 1/2-length score in the $300,000 Long Island Stakes (G3T), a 1 3/8-mile inner turf test for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up Nov. 25 at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Trained by Brendan Walsh, the 6-year-old daughter of Temple City paid immediate dividends for her new connections, who purchased Temple City Terror for $600,000 at the recently concluded Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. She was consigned there by Brookdale Farm for Pocket Aces Racing.
Walsh said he was pleased to have the veteran mare return to his stable following the sale.
"We were delighted. She's a barn favorite, and you have these horses for so many years, and you become very attached to them, as do all your staff," Walsh said. "She's a credit to all of them as much as me. They've done a great job with her to keep her going and stay sound for this long."
Temple City Terror, who made the grade last out in the Rood and Riddle Dowager Stakes (G3T) at Keeneland, saved ground at the back of the pack as longshot Big Time Lady set splits of :24.72 seconds and :50.19 over the firm footing. The Manny Franco-piloted Rocky Sky , one of three Chad Brown trainees in the six-horse field, tracked in second with stablemates Kalifornia Queen and Capital Structure in third and fourth, respectively, through three-quarters in 1:15.70.
Kalifornia Queen surged up the rail into the final turn as Big Time Lady tired and checked out sharply causing the Irad Ortiz Jr.-piloted Capital Structure to take up. Meanwhile, a patient Jose Ortiz saved ground with Temple City Terror through the turn and avoided the trouble before tipping out to pass Kalifornia Queen and take aim at Rocky Sky.
Temple City Terror, full of run, easily overtook Rocky Sky at the furlong marker and drew off to win in a final time of 2:15.56. Rocky Sky completed the exacta by 6 3/4 lengths over Kalifornia Queen with Capital Structure, Tic Tic Tic Boom and Big Time Lady completing the order of finish. A stewards inquiry and a claim of foul by Ortiz Jr. into the incident at the three-eighths pole resulted in no change.
Ortiz said he "knew she had it," and hand-rode her down the stretch.
Temple City Terror is led to the winner's circle after her victory in the Long Island Stakes
Temple City Terror has enjoyed a solid 6-year-old campaign, including a successful title defense in the Keertana Overnight Stakes in May at Churchill Downs and a game fourth to multiple grade 1 winner War Like Goddess in the Flower Bowl Stakes (G2T) in September at Saratoga Race Course.
"Brendan's team has done a wonderful job with her. All the credit goes to them," said Shannon Potter, CEO of Town and Country Racing. "We bought in within the last month. He gets all the credit, just telling us what to do. And now, as he says, she's getting better with age and keeps rolling. We'll probably keep going with her through Gulfstream Park."
Temple City Terror ($3.30) banked $165,000 in victory while improving her record to 29-7-5-5 for purse earnings of $861,218. Bred in Kentucky by Upson Downs Farm, she is the fourth winner from as many starters out of the More Than Ready mare It Takes Two . She is her lone stakes winner.