Mutamakina takes E.P. Taylor as Clement horses finish 1-2
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - New York trainer Christophe Clement ran one-two in Sunday’s Grade 1 E.P. Taylor when the 8-1 shot Mutamakina held off 5-1 La Dragontea by a neck in the $602,000 turf event for fillies and mares at Woodbine.
Over a course labeled yielding, Mutamakina pressed the favored Kalifornia Queen through slow fractions in the 1 1/4-mile event.
Mutamakina hit the front with about an eighth of a mile left, while La Dragontea rallied between rivals from the back of the pack, and then dug in to prevail in a time of 2:09.14.
Kalifornia Queen weakened to finish another neck back in third. She was followed by Waliyak, Great Island, Keyflower, Family Way, Court Return, Etoile, and Merveilleux.
Dylan Davis rode Mutamakina in the Taylor and when she took the Grade 2 Dance Smartly here Aug. 22.
“She ran well here about a month ago,” Davis recalled. “We saw an opportunity to bring her up. Christophe did a great job getting her here. I’ve been breezing her, setting her up for this race. She was breezing well and maintaining herself. We knew that she would be tough coming here.
“She handled everything great. Last time, she put herself in a great position laying second. Today, she got her nerves going a little bit more then previously, but she put herself in a great position in second. We slowed down the pace. She was handling it well for me. I just needed her to finish strong. Once she got her head in front there at the eighth pole, she was digging in nice.”
Mutamakina ($19.80) earned $360,000 for Al Shira’aa Farms. The owner also received a $50,000 bonus because the 5-year-old daughter of Nathaniel was the leading point-earner in Woodbine’s Ladies of the Lawn, a three-race turf series for fillies and mare.
Clement said it was doubtful, but he didn’t totally rule out, that either or both would be considered for the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Del Mar.