Miss Temple City, Lady Eli Put in First Works of 2017

One could argue the turf female division was the best pound-for-pound in Thoroughbred racing last season. On Feb. 18, two of the more fearsome members took the first step toward a return to wreaking havoc in 2017.

Multiple grade 1 winners Miss Temple City and Lady Eli—both of whom were 2016 Eclipse Award finalists for champion turf female—each turned in their first timed moves of the new year with respective three-furlong works over the Palm Meadows Training Center turf Saturday morning.

In her first move since her runner-up effort in the Nov. 5 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T), Sheep Pond Partners' Lady Eli covered three-eighths in :37.90 for trainer Chad Brown as she readies for her 5-year-old debut, which could come in the Coolmore Jenny Wiley Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland in April.

Keeneland is certainly the debut destination for Graham Motion-trainee Miss Temple City, as the 5-year-old distaffer started rebuilding her fitness with a three-furlong move in :38.65.

"The comeback is in full force," said Bob Feld, breeder and co-owner of Miss Temple City, who last year became the first female runner to sweep the Maker's 46 Mile (G1T) and Shadwell Turf Mile (G1T) at Keeneland. "I actually looked up her workout times from last year and it looks like the 15th was her first work back and she worked an easy three eighths just like that. I'm sure (Motion) is on the exactly same schedule as last year. 

NOVAK: Miss Temple City Scores in Shadwell Turf Mile

"We'll nominate to (the Jenny Wiley) and (the Maker's 46 Mile) and just kind of handicap which one we think she fits best. But her comeback race will definitely be at Keeneland."

If not for the presence of two-time defending champion turf female Tepin, Feld and his partners would have been favored to make the trip to the podium to collect the divisional Eclipse Award themselves. In addition to besting males in both of her Keeneland outings, Miss Temple City ended her year with a victory in the Dec. 4 Matriarch Stakes (G1T) at Del Mar.

BALAN: Miss Temple City Scores Matriarch by a Nose

Feld said there was no hesitation about keeping the daughter of Temple City   in training this year—pointing out that every horse who finished ahead of her during her fifth-place run in the Nov. 5 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) was a 5-year-old.

"We always wanted to run her as a 5-year-old. With that Dynaformer blood, we always figured she'd get better as she got older," Feld said. "I tell peoplem if you look at the results of the Breeders' Cup Mile ... we were the best finisher of the 3 and 4-year-olds. And I don't think that is coincidental. It's a common thought that the 5-year-old year is a horse's best year. 

"That mile division is so tough, but this could be her year," Feld continued. "If Tepin slows down just a teensy bit at age 6 and we speed up a little teeny bit at 5, (Miss Temple City) could have that kind of year."

The path Miss Temple City takes this year will likely resemble her 2016 campaign. Should all go well with her first start at Keeneland, Feld says a return trip to Royal Ascot would be the next target.

Miss Temple City has traveled to Royal Ascot the past two years, running fourth in both the group 2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes last June and the 2015 Coronation Stakes (G1).

"We're on the same plan as last year, with the race at Keeneland and Royal Ascot," Feld said. "After that we haven't really discussed what she'll do after that. But we're all really excited."