Madefromlucky up in time in Temperence Hill Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – He was not as visually impressive as he was the last time he raced, but Madefromlucky was victorious nonetheless, taking Sunday’s $200,000 Temperence Hill Stakes at Belmont Park by three-quarters of a length.

Seemingly stuck in neutral despite the vigorous urging of Javier Castellano, Madefromlucky persevered when put four wide into the clear and was able to outfinish Turco Bravo in the 1 5/8-mile marathon. It was three-quarters of a length farther back to Archanova in third. Let Me Go First, Testosterstone, and Scuba completed the order of finish.

Madefromlucky ($3) was sent off as the heavy favorite coming off a 12 1/2-length victory in the 1 1/2-mile Greenwood Cup at Parx, where he defeated three of the five rivals he faced Sunday.

On Sunday, Madefromlucky raced between horses for most of the trip as Let Me Go First set the pace, stalked by Scuba. Starting at the five-furlong pole, Castellano put Madefromlucky in a drive, but he wasn’t really advancing at first. But the front-runners weren’t pulling away either.

At the quarter pole, Castellano put Madefromlucky in the clear, and he gradually made a run toward the leaders, including Turco Bravo, who had made an inside move to the lead under Manuel Franco. Madefromlucky kept coming and was able to get there in the final strides.

“I was a little concerned he wasn’t really dragging Javier anywhere along the way like he did last time at Parx, but he was kind of in between horses,” winning trainer Todd Pletcher said. “When Javier finally had the opportunity to get out and around, he reengaged himself and came with a good run down the lane to get there.”

Madefromlucky, a son of Lookin At Lucky owned by Cheyenne Stables and Mac Nichol, covered the 1 5/8 miles in 2:44.88.