Breeders' Cup decisions pending for E.P. Taylor top two Mutamakina, La Dragontea
ELMONT, N.Y. – Mutamakina and La Dragontea, the first- and second-place finishers in Sunday’s Grade 1 E.P. Taylor at Woodbine, arrived back at trainer Christophe Clement’s Belmont Park barn Monday morning, and the trainer and his owners will now have some decisions to make in plotting out their futures.
Clement said he didn’t go into the E.P. Taylor with the idea of running either one back in three weeks in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf on Nov. 6 at Del Mar, but said Monday he would need to talk things over with the owners before completely ruling it out.
“My whole idea was to train them for the E.P. Taylor, which was a mile and quarter on softer turf,” Clement said Monday morning. “The Breeders’ Cup will be on very firm turf, back quickly, ship back, ship again. It’s really very aggressive. I’m not out of it, I’ll just have to think about it during the week and see how they come out of it. I don’t think I should make that decision now.
“It’ll be up to the owners. Right now, we’re in the enjoyment phase.”
Mutamakina, a 5-year-old English-bred daughter Nathaniel, held off La Dragontea by a half-length to win the E.P. Taylor, her first Grade 1 success, adding that to her victory in the Grade 2 Dance Smartly on Aug. 22 at Woodbine. Dylan Davis was aboard for both wins, and the E.P. Taylor was the jockey’s first win in a Grade 1 race.
Mutamakina, owned by Al Shira’aa Farms, has done her best work on ground with give in it. She won last year’s Long Island Handicap at Aqueduct over turf labeled good. This year, the Grade 3 Long Island at 1 1/2 miles carries a $400,000 purse and will be run Nov. 27 at Aqueduct.
La Dragontea, a 4-year-old daughter of Lope de Vega, also seems to do her best work on soft or good ground. She won the Grade 2 Canadian on good ground on Sept. 18 at Woodbine prior to her strong second in the E.P. Taylor.
Clement said La Dragontea on Sunday “ran a huge race.”
“She had to swing around horses at the eighth pole,” he said. “If she didn’t have to do that she might have won. I’m proud of both fillies.”
The E.P. Taylor result came about 20 minutes after Clement won the $150,000 Floral Park at Belmont with Too Sexy. A 4-year-old daughter of Quality Road, Too Sexy rallied from well off the pace to win the six-furlong turf race by 3 1/4 lengths, her first stakes victory and second straight win. Both of her victories have come with a little bit of give in the ground.
Too Sexy, owned by Stuart Grant’s Elkstone Group, will likely be pointed to the $150,000 Autumn Days Stakes on Nov. 28 at Aqueduct.
This Saturday, Clement will be represented by Soldier Rising in the Grade 2, $400,000 Hill Prince for 3-year-olds at Belmont Park. At 1 1/8 miles, the Hill Prince is a touch shorter than the distances at which Soldier Rising has been competing. He has finished second in both the Saratoga Derby at 1 3/16 miles and the Jockey Club Derby at 1 1/2 miles.