Miss Temple City draws far outside post against 11 rivals in Matriarch

Twelve distaffers were entered in Sunday’s $300,000 Matriarch Stakes (G1) on the closing day of Del Mar’s Bing Crosby Meet, and Miss Temple City will break from the far outside post in her first start since running fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1).

The four-year-old daughter of Temple City has faced, and beaten, some pretty big names since beginning her career for trainer Graham Motion in 2014. She’s competed twice at Royal Ascot, finishing two lengths behind the winner when fourth in the 2015 Coronation Stakes (Eng-G1) and filling that same spot in this year’s Duke of Cambridge Stakes (Eng-G2).

Sandwiched between those two contests were a win against the boys in the 2016 Maker’s 46 Mile (G1) at Keeneland and placings in last season’s Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1), Sands Point Stakes (G2) and Lake Placid Stakes (G2).

Miss Temple City followed the Duke of Cambridge with a neck fourth in the Diana Stakes (G1) and would go on to once again defeat the boys, including next out Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Tourist, in the Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) at Keeneland.

Edgar Prado has been aboard for Miss Temple City’s past pair of races and retains the mount on Sunday.

The Kentucky-bred filly faces some stiff competition in the Matriarch, going up against the likes of Time and Motion, Zindaya, Decked Out and Tiz a Kiss.

Time and Motion bypassed this year’s Breeders’ Cup despite rallying to miss by only 1 3/4 lengths when fifth in the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1). She brought a three-race win streak, including a pair of stakes victories, into the Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1) and made a name for herself when just a half-length behind winner and Canadian Horse of the Year Catch a Glimpse on the wire.

Trained by Jimmy Toner, Time and Motion got back to her winning ways one race later in the Lake Placid and enters the Matriarch off a head score in the QEII Challenge Cup on October 15. The sophomore daughter of Tapit keeps jockey John Velazquez in the irons here.

Zindaya is part of a three-strong entry from trainer Chad Brown that also includes Group 3 winner Mexican Gold and Grade 3 heroine Roca Rojo. The More Than Ready five-year-old mare successfully defended her title in the Intercontinental Stakes and exits a half-length victory in the Goldikova Stakes (G2) going the Matriarch distance of a mile.

Roca Rojo and Mexican Gold were one-three, respectively, in the Athenia Stakes (G3) last out. That was Roca Rojo’s first stakes credit but Mexican Gold already boasted a French Group 3 score as well as a third-place effort in the French One Thousand Guineas (Fr-G1) from her sophomore season.

Decked Out has had a full season in 2016, to date boasting 10 starts. Along the way she’s captured the Providencia Stakes (G3) and placed in the Del Mar Oaks (G1), but has had several near misses. Among those were fourth-placings in the Honeymoon Stakes (G2) and Senorita Stakes (G3). Victor Espinoza takes over on the Street Boss three-year-old from Kent Desormeaux, who chose to stick with Tiz a Kiss in this spot.

Tiz a Kiss has come on in the latter part of the season, taking an allowance/optional claimer while just missing when second in both the Goldikova Stakes (G2) and Solana Beach Stakes. Stays in Vegas captured the Senorita Stakes (G3) to kick off her sophomore campaign in May then strung together a trio of third-place runs in the Honeymoon, San Clemente Handicap (G2) and Del Mar Oaks. She enters the Matriarch off a sixth in the QEII Challenge Cup. Nancy From Nairobi has been unable to factor in her past two starts but earned her first stakes triumph earlier in the season in the Royal Heroine Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park.

Multiple Chilean Group 1 winner Kitcat earned a shot at the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) thanks to taking a “Win & You’re In” event in her native country, and prepped for the big day with a second in the Swingtime Stakes at Santa Anita Park on October 8. She was unable to duplicate that effort when 12th in the Breeders' Cup and returns here for trainer Juan Silva.

Multiple Argentinean Group 1 winner Sobradora Inc seeks a return to the winner’s circle after three unplaced efforts since taking her U.S. debut in the Osunitas Stakes on August 7 at Del Mar.

Prize Exhibit has faced many in this race already this year. She shows only one win, with that coming in her season opener in the Monrovia Stakes (G2), and keeps Mike Smith in the saddle.

Miss Temple City photo courtesy of Keeneland/Coady Photography