Second to the filly Miss Temple City in the same spot last year, Heart to Heart will take another shot at Friday’s $300,000 Maker’s 46 Mile (G1) at Keeneland in search of a so-far elusive Grade 1 score.
A champion in Canada at three, Heart to Heart has used his identifiable speed to win 10 grass stakes throughout the country, most recently the Canadian Turf (G3) on March 4.
“He had a big chance last year,” trainer Brian Lynch said. “There was a (pacesetter) in there and (Miss Temple City) ran a big race.
“I’d like to knock out a Grade 1 with him, especially a race as prestigious as the Maker’s,” Lynch added. “That would guarantee him a good life (as a stallion).”
The contentious field of 12 includes a pair of formidable West Coast shippers in What a View and Bolo. Grade 1-winning What a View, who also has early foot, missed in both the Arcadia (G2) and Frank Kilroe Mile (G1) in photo finishes this winter, while two-time Arcadia winner Bolo proved only third best in the Kilroe last time.
Also shipping in from California is Calculator. Prominent in graded dirt sprints last year, the Peter Miller trainee recently won for the first time on grass in a Santa Anita allowance down the hill.
Blacktype has shown solid form for Christophe Clement since last summer, winning the Oceanport (G3) and Commonwealth Turf Cup (G2) before placing in the the Knickerbocker (G3) and $150,000 Artie Schiller. Meanwhile, dual Grade 3 winner Inspector Lynley enters off a half-length win over Kasqui in the Tampa Bay (G3) for Shug McGaughey.
The field includes the Canadian Turf second and third Bondurant and Conquest Panthera; stakes-winning Western Reserve, who has won or placed in his last eight starts; Grade 2 victor Conquest Enforcer; Grade 3 scorer American Patriot; and multiple allowance winner Ballagh Rocks.
