Love of turf course gives Temple edge in Thursday feature

In normal times – insert resigned chuckle here – trainer Mike Maker said Temple already would have relocated to Kentucky or New York to take advantage of the larger purses than those offered in South Florida at this time of year.

But one of the advantages of having had to remain in Florida is that Temple absolutely adores the turf course at Gulfstream Park, and that makes him a formidable player in Thursday’s feature race, a 1 1/8-mile optional claimer for second-level allowance runners and those in for a $62,500 tag.

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Temple has raced seven times on Gulfstream’s turf. He owns three wins, and he’s never finished out of the money.

Thirteen were entered in the race – including stakes-class runners Arthur Kitt and Opry – with a maximum of 12 allowed to start. It is race 9 on a 10-race card that is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. Eastern.

That race shares the spotlight Thursday with race 6, a one-mile dirt race for Florida-bred 3-year-olds that drew Untitled, most recently second in the Grade 3 Gotham at Aqueduct, which also is a one-turn mile. Untitled should be heavily favored against six rivals.

In race 9, Temple could be favored off his most-recent try March 28, a second at this level going 1 1/16 miles while earning a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 93. Four of his rivals Thursday – The Green Mo’ster, Ry’s the Guy, Award Winner, and Krampus – finished behind him that day. Temple drew well Thursday, landing the rail.

“I’d much rather be down there,” said Maker, who tabbed Luis Saez to replace Tyler Gaffalione, who rode Temple last time but is serving a suspension.

Maker said he thought Temple was simply second best behind Largent last time. In his prior two starts, both third-place finishes at Gulfstream, Temple “had some gate issues,” Maker said, which caused him to be farther back earlier than preferred.

Temple has worked twice since his last race.

“I expect a big effort this week,” Maker said Monday in a telephone interview.

Arthur Kitt, stuck in post 11, makes his first start since July and his first start since moving to trainer Christophe Clement. Now age 4, Arthur Kitt – a British import – finished fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Churchill Downs in November 2018. He was winless in five starts last year, all at 1 1/4 miles or longer.

“I got him last fall and thought he needed some time off,” Clement said Monday. “The question is he might want to go farther than a mile and an eighth, and the course at Gulfstream has been speed favoring. He’s ready to run. I want to get a race into him and get him back up north. I’d like to run him a mile and an eighth here, then a mile a quarter, find out where we are, and go from there.”

Opry, winner of the Grade 3 With Anticipation as a 2-year-old in 2018, comes off a front-running win against a first-level allowance field when making his first start in more than eight months.

Award Winner and Thunder Ride also should be prominent early.