Temple just holds on in Gio Ponti Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Most jockeys transitioning from one circuit to another need someone to give them a chance. Though Jorge Vargas Jr. has yet to meet trainer Mike Maker, he can thank him for giving him the opportunity to ride Temple in Friday’s $150,000 Gio Ponti Stakes at Aqueduct.

Vargas picked up the mount on Temple and guided him to a nose victory over Kadar – also trained by Maker – in the Gio Ponti for 3-year-olds on the turf. Vargas, who has moved his tack from Maryland to New York, picked up the mount on Temple when Javier Castellano, who was named to ride, had to leave Aqueduct early to catch a flight at nearby John. F. Kennedy Airport. Castellano is riding at Del Mar on Saturday.

Vargas’s other winner at the meet – aboard Turbo Drive – also came for Maker.

“I don’t even know the guy, but the two winners I’ve had at Aqueduct so far are for him,” said Vargas, who is represented by Jim Riccio Jr., same agent as Jose Ortiz.

The pace in Gio Ponti was slow and Vargas was smart to have Temple within a half-length of pacesetting Backtohisroots, under Kendrick Carmouche, through a half-mile in 49.96 and on even terms through six furlongs in 1:14.49.

Vargas shook Temple up in midstretch and he had a clear advantage with a furlong remaining. But Kadar, last under Jose Ortiz, made a strong late bid out in the middle of the turf course only to come up a nose shy.

Temple, a gelding by Temple City owned by Paradise Farms Corp. and Mad Dog Racing, covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.32 and returned $18.20 for the win, his fourth from 13 career starts.

“Kendrick was going so slow, he’s drifting in and out, I was able to keep him in there on the turn,” Vargas said. “I asked my horse a little bit and he jumped into the bridle right away. In midstretch he kind of wanted to hang on me a little bit, but the wire just came in time.”

Though Ortiz was last behind a slow pace, he thought he could still win.

“Probably I could have been a little bit close, but I just wanted to give him one run,” Ortiz said. “I was in a very good position passing the three-eighths pole, right next to [favored Halladay], that was the horse to beat.”

Halladay, the 7-5 favorite, finished third and was followed by Forty Under, Proliferate, Pioneer Man, Osage Moon, and Backtohisroots.