Mutamakina stalks slow pace, wins G1 E. P. Taylor at Woodbine

Stalking a snail’s pace on a yielding turf course, Mutamakina (8-1) pounced in the final turn, took the lead in the final furlong and held off the wide, late charge of La Dragontea (5-1) on Sunday to win the Grade 1 US$485,000 E. P. Taylor Stakes at windy Woodbine.

Owned by Sheika Fatima’s U.K.-based Al Shira’aa Farms, trained by Christophe Clément and ridden by Dylan Davis, the winning 5-year-old Nathaniel mare ran her record to 2-for-2 at Woodbine.

“She put herself second, and she was handling (the slow pace) well for me,” jockey Dylan Davis said. “Once she got her head in front at the eighth pole, she wanted it.”

La Dragontea, also trained by Clément, placed second with early pacesetter Kalifornia Queen (5-2) taking third, edging fourth-place Waliyak (4-1).

The winning time for the 1 1/4 miles was 2:09.14 with early fractions of 27.26, 54.46, 1:20.84 and 1:45.35.

Mutamakina was coming back from a victory over the same course and distance in the Dance Smartly (G2) on Aug. 22, when Davis also had the ride.

“She ran well over here, and we saw an opportunity again to bring her up,” said Davis, who also was speaking for Clément. “She’s been breezing well, maintaining herself, and we knew she would be tough here.”