No denying Heart to Heart in Maker's 46 Mile

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Heart to Heart has this Grade 1 thing down now. Some nine weeks after earning the first such victory of his career, the 7-year-old horse went back-to-back Friday when running away from eight opponents in the 30th running of the Grade 1, $300,000 Maker’s 46 Mile.

“He just never stops giving, does he?” said an elated Brian Lynch, who trains Heart to Heart for Terry Hamilton.

First under the wire after breaking sharply under Julien Leparoux, Heart to Heart barely had to be asked when turning back his most dogged pursuer, Om, in spurting away at the top of the turf course, effectively putting the race away. It was a sensational performance in his 35th career start and makes him one of the early favorites for the Breeders’ Cup Mile in early November at Churchill Downs.

“He might’ve run his best race today,” said Lynch. “When he broke clear, I thought, somebody’s really going to have to come out of the pack to get him.”

Heart to Heart, the lukewarm favorite, returned $8.40 after finishing the two-turn mile in 1:34.71 over a firm course. Ballagh Rocks, third most of the trip, was along for second, 1 3/4 lengths behind the winner and another half-length before a three-horse photo for third that found Forge a nose ahead of Om, and Frostmourne another nose back in fifth.

Before a sun-splashed crowd of 28,307, the highest for a Friday in track history, Heart to Heart went in fractions of 24.07 seconds and 47.90 while Om, the accomplished California invader, stayed close. But after straightening away, getting six furlongs in 1:11.77, Heart to Heart suddenly burst away, with Leparoux going to a vigorous hand ride in guiding Heart to Heart to his 15th career victory while increasing his bankroll to $1,917,290.

Heart to Heart, a son of English Channel bred in Ontario by Red Hawk Ranch, has become a big fan favorite, partly because of the heart-shaped mark on his bay snout, but also because of his class and remarkable consistency.

“He’s a nice horse, everyone loves him,” said Leparoux, his regular rider.

Hamilton and Lynch long had been frustrated by the fact Heart to Heart had come very close in Grade 1 races prior to his Feb. 10 triumph in the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park turf. Lynch believes the horse’s experience and maturity have taken him to the next level.

“He’s really on his game,” he said. “I felt, coming into this race, this is the best we’ve ever had him, and he certainly showed it today. With maturity and with racing, he’s just become a much stronger horse.”

The $2 exacta (6-2) paid $38.80, the $1 trifecta (6-2-3) returned $123.40, and the 10-cent superfecta (6-2-3-9) was worth $81.80.

The huge Friday crowd was largely attributable to Friday being the first day of warm and sunny spring weather following subpar conditions for the preceding five cards of this 16-day spring meet. The all-time track mark is 40,617, set on Blue Grass Stakes Day in 2012.

A lengthy delay related to tote issues resulted in the last four races of the 10-race card being run nearly an hour behind schedule.

► In earlier races, Pacific Wind ($3.60) stamped herself as a potential force in the North American filly-mare division with an 8 1/4-length victory in a one-mile allowance race in her first start for Chad Brown, while Go Google Yourself ($10.20) entered the Kentucky Oaks discussion for Paul McGee when rallying boldly up the rail in defeating Gio Game in a $76,000 allowance for 3-year-old fillies.

► Saturday brings the final multi-stakes card of the meet, with the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley being the primary feature among four stakes on an 11-race program. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern.