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Temple City Terror reigns again in Churchill’s Keertana S.

May 28, 2022

For the second straight year Temple City Terror rallied from well off the pace to win the $160,000 Keertana S. on the Churchill Downs turf course.

Temple City Terror is Temple City’s 10th stakes horse (six of them winners) of 2022. He is currently the leading turf sire in North America by stakes winners, with six, and graded stakes winners, with three.

As she was in the 2021 running of this 1 ½-mile marathon, Temple City Terror was content to sit far off the early pace, trailing the seven-horse field through the first mile, which went in a moderate 1:42.30. Entering the last of three turns, she came off the rail to go four-wide into the stretch. She wore down Stand Tall in the final sixteenth to best her by a half-length in 2:31.76 on the firm turf.

“She loves this distance and the ground here at Churchill,” said winning rider Adam Beschizza. “Just like last year she was able to relax and had a good kick coming home down the lane. I think this race gives her a good stepping stone for graded stakes down the road.”

The 6-year-old mare has more than justified her $22,000 purchase price at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling sale, racking up $435,718 in earnings for Pocket Aces Racing. Her record now stands at 5-4-5 from 24 lifetime starts.