Terry Hamilton's Heart to Heart had his own little celebration the morning of April 14, after he won Maker's 46 Mile (G1T) less than 24 hours earlier.
"He had a nice hour out grazing," trainer Brian Lynch said about the 7-year-old son of English Channel who has two consecutive grade 1 victories. "So he's in good order. He's been banging heads in that race for the last three years—ran two very game races in it in 2016 and 2017—so that was really cool to get it done. He can finally put his name beside that one (as the winner).
"When he straightened for the run down the lane and he opened up a few lengths, I could see there was no one running behind him and it was his day."
Lynch's long-range goal for Heart to Heart is the Nov. 3 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) at Churchill Downs, a track where he is undefeated. He said Heart to Heart likely will travel east to prepare for that race.
"He'll have a couple more races through the summer—maybe two more—and hopefully be back here to Churchill for the Breeders' Cup," Lynch said. "He'll maybe run again at Belmont and then run at Saratoga, and that will be his prep for getting him back here."
In October Heart to Heart finished second in Keeneland's Shadwell Turf Mile (G1T) a month prior to finishing tenth in the Breeders' Cup Mile at Del Mar.
The second- and third-place finishers in the Maker's 46 Mile, Ballagh Rocks and Forge came out of the race fine, according to Riley Mott, assistant to his father, Bill Mott.
"I was real proud of him," Riley Mott said of Ballagh Rocks, who is owned by Donegal Racing and Head of Plains Partners. "He ran a big race off the layoff (of five months) and we know he likes it here. He just got beat by a better horse yesterday."
Juddmonte Farms' Forge was a half-length behind his stablemate in third in his second race in three weeks.
"The three weeks between races (to the grade 1 Old Forester Turf Classic at Churchill Downs May 5) is a bit of an issue with him," Riley Mott said. "My dad and the owners will talk it over."
Fourth-place finisher Om will to return to his Southern California base and point to the Shoemaker Mile (G1T) May 28 at Santa Anita Park, according to trainer Dan Hendricks.
"We are going to take him back home and get his shoe put back on," Hendricks said. "He lost a shoe at some point in the race, but I don't know where. That was no excuse."
