Heart to Heart Wire to Wire in Commonwealth
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Terry Hamilton's Heart to Heart put together a three-race win streak and collected his second straight grade III victory Nov. 15 when he wired a field of 12 sophomores in the $115,300 Commonwealth Turf Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Churchill Downs .
Winner of the Sept. 27 Jefferson Cup Stakes (gr. IIIT) at the Louisville oval in his first graded attempt and victorious in the Aug. 20 Better Talk Now Stakes at Saratoga Race Course prior to that for trainer Brian Lynch, the son of English Channel slipped away by 3 3/4 lengths under jockey Julien Leparoux.
The even-money choice finished 1 1/16 miles on a firm Matt Winn Turf Course in a stakes record 1:41.54 in the year's final graded stakes race on turf for 3-year-olds in the region. The previous Commonwealth Turf best was Get Stormy's 1:41.67 in 2009.
"I think one of this horse's biggest assets is how well he runs the turns," Lynch said. "He really ran around the first turn smoothly, relaxed down the backside and accelerated into that last turn really well. I think his acceleration in the turns allows him to get an advantage on the other horses. ...He certainly loves the two-turns and loves Churchill Downs."
Others were content to follow the pace set by Heart to Heart, who went a quarter in :23.60 and a half in :47.53 while tracked by 17-1 shot Other Cheek and 8-1 Bashart. The eventual winner clocked three-quarters in 1:11.53 while leading Other Cheek by a length, then sprinted away off the turn for home and increased his advantage from the head of the lane before evening out in the final furlong. Other Cheek and Bashart held their positions all the way around and could not cut into the margin of the winner, who was geared down late.
Heart to Heart returned $4, $3.20, and $2.60 while carrying top weight of 123 pounds. Other Cheek brought $12 and $8.40 and Bashart paid $5. Highball, Hesinfront, Afortable, Wallyanna, Captain Dixie, Woodfield Springs, Shiva Ryan, De Facto, and Archway to Heaven completed the order of finish. Stormy Pacific scratched.
Bred in Ontario by Red Hawk Ranch out of the Silver Deputy mare Ask the Question, Heart to Heart improved his record to 5-1-2 from 12 starts for earnings of $329,807.
Lynch said the $200,000 Mathis Brothers Mile (gr. IIT) for 3-year-olds at one mile on turf at Santa Anita Park Dec. 26 is the likely next race for Heart to Heart. After that, he'll spend the winter at Gulfstream Park and could target the May 2 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (gr. IT) at Churchill on Kentucky Derby Day.