Temple Fur threads needle en route to Betsy Ross S. win

Temple Fur made her way through a narrow opening at the head of the stretch and went on to a commanding 3 1/2-length victory in the $75,000 Betsy Ross S. at Gulfstream Park on Independence Day.

The win was the first stakes victory for the 3-year-old daughter of Temple City, who has won three of her last four starts, all on the Gulfstream turf surface.

Always traveling well while in fifth for the first half-mile, Temple Fur began to advance on the final turn, but was stuck behind horses with three furlongs to run. Jockey Gerardo Corrales saw a small opening between horses at the top of the lane, and the bay filly shot through and quickly pulled clear of the field to come home a definitive winner.

“Corrales was patient with her. They got in tight a little for a bit but saved all the ground. She ran great,” trainer Jessica Campitelli said.

Temple Fur upped her record to 4-1-0 in eight starts and has now banked $109,970 for owner Stirrup Trouble LLC.

A top-10 Third Crop Sire of 2016, Temple City now has five stakes winners this year, four of them graded, led by Maker’s 46 Mile (G1) winner Miss Temple City.