Defending Champ Temple City Terror Tops Saturday's $160,000 Keertana Overnight Stakes

May 25, 2022 Churchill Downs Communications

Pocket Aces Racing’s Temple City Terror is back to defend her crown in Saturday’s featured eighth running of the $160,000 Keertana Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs.

The 1 ½-mile Keertana, run on the Matt Winn Turf Course, was carded as Race 10 of 11 with a post time of 5:26 p.m. (all times Eastern). First post is 12:45 p.m. Turf racing this week at Churchill Downs will be conducted in Lane 4, 36 feet from the inside rail.

Trained by Brendan Walsh, Temple City Terror was the mild 5-1 upset winner of last year’s Keertana over Dalika. Following her Keertana victory, Temple City Terror finished third in the $150,000 Robert Dick Memorial at Delaware Park and the $250,000 Glen Falls (GII) at Saratoga. After the Glen Falls, Temple City Terror was off until mid-April when she finished fifth in a conditioned allowance race at Keeneland. The 6-year-old mare will be ridden by Adam Beschizza from post position No. 7.

Chief among Temple City Terror’s competition is Catherine Willis’ multiple graded stakes placed Luck Money. Trained by Arnaud Delacour, Luck Money made her 5-year-old debut three weeks ago at Belmont Park where she finished a distant second to Virginia Joy in the $200,000 Sheepshead Bay (Grade II). As a 4-year-old, Luck Money finished second in the $150,000 Dowager (GIII) at Keeneland and the Robert Dick Memorial. Luck Money’s last win came in the $80,000 Zagora Stakes on Oct. 31, 2020 at Belmont. Brian Hernandez Jr. has the call from post 8.

Here’s the complete field from the rail out (with jockey and trainer): Stand Tall (Florent Geroux, Rusty Arnold); Disappearing Act (Tyler Gaffalione, Richard Baltas); Go Big Blue Nation (James Graham, Graham Motion); La Lune (GB) (Julien Leparoux, Ed Vaughan); Federalist Papers (Ricardo Santana Jr., Chad Brown); Malibu Marlee (Mitchell Murrill, Barry King); Temple City Terror (Beschizza, Walsh); Luck Money (Hernandez, Delacour); and Undisturbed (Chris Landeros, Ian Wilkes).

Churchill Downs will run a five-day race week this week starting Thursday for Twilight Thursday. First post on Thursday is 5 p.m. with $2 domestic canned beer, live music from Dusty Bo and local food trucks Sweet N Savory, Crave a Go Go, Copper Kitchen, 502 Kitchen and Flavorville. Monday is a special Memorial Day program and also Military Appreciation Day. Active and retired military members, with a valid I.D., will receive free general admission or a discounted ticket ($29) to Millionaires Row. First post Friday-Monday is 12:45 p.m.

For more information about the Spring Meet, visit www.churchilldowns.com.