Breeders Cup 2010

Be that as it may, the Marathon is once again the leadoff event for Breeders’ Cup weekend. Extended by a quarter mile for last year’s running, the 14-furlong test is – fittingly – the longest BC race. The first two runnings were won by horses coming from off the pace. (Muhannak tracked the longshot Booyah before overtaking that rival to win the inaugural running in 2008 at 1 1/2 miles. Man of Iron came from far off the pace to nose out Cloudy’s Knight last year, when the distance was extended to 1 3/4 miles.) But this is the sort of distance where a solitary frontrunner can get loose on the lead, lull his competition to sleep through easy fractions, and have enough energy in reserve to negotiate the long Churchill Downs stretch. The question is, is such a horse — and pace scenario — likely to emerge from this year’s Marathon cast?

There is. Temple City.

A lightly raced 5-year-old son of Dynaformer, Temple City earned a berth in the Marathon by taking the Cougar II Handicap at Del Mar in July. In that win-and-you’re-in 12-panel heat, he set dawdling splits (50.4 and 1:16.0) and cruised to a 3 1/4-length, track-record tally.