Miss Temple City Handy in Hilltop

Miss Temple City ran to her 6-5 favoritism May 15, taking the $100,000 Hilltop Stakes presented by Rams Head Group at Pimlico Race Course and notching her first stakes score and punching her ticket to the June 19 Coronation Stakes (Eng-I) at Royal Ascot .

Rated patiently by Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez in second off the pace of frontrunner Lady Zuzu, the 3-year-old filly from the first crop of Temple City   made her move turning for home In the 1 1/16-mile turf test and kicked clear in the final furlong to win by 2 3/4 lengths while racing without Lasix as she has in five career outings.

"She was going so well that I was real comfortable with where she was early," Velazquez said. "She was going at it really easy. Once I passed the horse on the lead, I had to keep her a little busy because before the race she was looking around and not really paying attention. (But) during the race she was a professional."

Lady Zuzu set a decent early pace in the Hilltop, going a quarter in :23.44 and a half in :46.86 while opening up about three lengths over Miss Temple City. Three-quarters went in 1:11.35 and the trackers began to cut into Lady Zuzu's advantage, running her down through a 1:35.78 mile.

All in Fun got up for second while Lady Zuzu held third in the field of seven sophomore fillies. The winner paid $4.40, $2.80, and $2.40, running a final time of 1:41.94 on a course rated firm.

"I am really high on this filly," trainer Graham Motion said. "She just keeps getting better and better. We really felt confident coming into this race because she had just missed in her last two. We're going to aim her for the Coronation (Eng-I) at Ascot (June 19). If things go well, we are inclined to take a shot. She has never run on Lasix, which I think helps with the decision."

All in Fun paid $6.40 and $4.20 while Lady Zuzu returned $3.60. Kawfee Fa Marfa, Ayaady, C'Est Moi, and Spotted Heart completed the order of finish. Inside Out, Gypsy Judy, and Intrepid Alex scratched.

It was the fifth start for Miss Temple City, who runs for Sagamore Farm, Allen Rosenblum, and The Club Racing, and her third victory. She was bred in Kentucky by Bobfeld Bloodstock out of the Artax mare Glittering Tax and came off a second to Lady Eli in the May 12 Appalachian Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Keeneland after narrowly missing Jan. 24 in the Sweetest Chant Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Gulfstream Park. She easily won her first two outings, a maiden special weight at Laurel last October and a Gulfstream allowance last December, after which Sagamore bought in.

Later on the card, Triple R Stable's Galiana ran down favorite Lady Sabelia in the stretch and scooted clear to win the $100,000 Skipat Stakes for filly and mare sprinters . 

With Abel Lezcano at the reins for trainer Rodolfo Romero, the 5-year-old daughter of Stonesider   scored by 2 3/4 lengths and covered six furlongs on a fast main track in 1:10.08.

The victory marked the second straight stakes win for Galiana, who captured the Primonetta Stakes April 18 at Pimlico by an identical margin.            

Favored at 3-5 and carrying top weight of 124 pounds in a field of nine older fillies and mares, Lady Sabelia took charge soon after the start and led through fractions of :23, :45.20 as Galiana tracked from second. The winner moved to the front turning for home and kept going for her 13th victory—and sixth in a stakes—from 25 lifetime starts. Her record also includes a graded stakes placing: a third in the Hurricane Bertie (gr. III) in February at Gulfstream Park. 

"I was worried about the favorite (Lady Sabelia), because she was really good," Romero said. "I was surprised my horse was so close to the lead. But sometimes, you don't know what to expect from her. She's very tough and she's getting very good."

Lady Sabelia stayed on for second, two lengths ahead of 4-1 second choice She's Ordained.

Galiana, the 5-1 second choice, paid $12.40, $4.20, and $2.80. Lady Sabelia (122) returned $2.60 and $2.20, and She's Ordained (118) brought $2.80 to show. 

Argentine mare Baby Jess, by Interprete, is the dam of Galiana, who was bred in New York by John T. Behrendt and Charles Marquis.