by Kimberly French, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Kimberly French

Louisville, KY — When Tyler Smith hopped out of the bike and handed over the lines the smile on his face would be nearly impossible to replicate. And who could blame him? He just guided Topville Cadillac to victory in her $125,900 division of the Kentucky Stallion Management Stake at Hoosier Park and now the world knew this filly was for real.

“Being on the front end was not the trip we had envisioned for her,” he said. “But that is how the race worked out. She is still very green and has a lot of maturing to do as far as figuring things out, but we have not reached the bottom of her. I think there is so much more yet to give as she learns her job.”

Owned by her conditioner Alvin Miller as well as Twila Harts and Ted Comerford, Topville Cadillac is a 2-year-old daughter of Rockin Image and the top notch broodmare Topville Cyberwave. She will seek to add to her win total when she leaves from post position three on Saturday (Oct. 10) in the $200,000 Indiana Sire Stakes final at Hoosier Park.

She was purchased for $95,000, which would make her the sales topper at last year’s Hoosier Classic Sale and comes from one of the finest female families in Indiana. She is a half-sister to Sapphire Martini (Dream Work, p,3,1:53.3, $137,173), Radar Contact (Dontgetinmyway, p,1:49.2, $967,846) and Always About Katey (Always A Virgin, p, 3,1:51.3s, $839,407). All three of these mares are Indiana Sire Stakes champions and this filly joined them with her 1:53.3 triumph in the same class and conditions on Sept. 4.

Linscott Photography

Topville Cadillac has won six times in eight lifetime starts, with earnings of $138,000.

“We actually had three or so horses picked out for the sale that we really liked,” Miller said. “We bid on them but did not end up bringing them home. She was our top horse, because of her pedigree for one thing, but she was last in the sale. It ended up working out that she was because since we didn’t get the other ones, we could get her.”

The filly broke her maiden in her first trip to the gate on July 8 in a $6,900 non-winners event at Hoosier Park. She followed that up with another win in a $20,000 Indiana Sire Stake elimination on July 17 at the same facility. Topville Cadillac then finished sixth and fourth, respectively, in the $75,000 Indiana Sire Stakes final on July 24 and a $20,000 ISS elimination on Aug. 8 before regaining her prior form. She has now reeled off four straight wins with an overall record of 8-6-0-0 and purse money of $138,000.

She set a new track record of 1:52.1 at the Anderson oval in her sire stake elimination on Aug. 28 and then reduced that standard with her gate-to-wire triumph in 1:52 in the Kentucky Stallion Management Stakes on Sept. 26. Topville Cadillac fended off the likes of Darlinonthebeach, the regally bred first daughter of champion Darlin’s Delight and Lyons River Pride from the potent Ron Burke barn. That performance illustrated she is a force to be reckoned with in open company.

“She was a real handful to break,” Miller said. “She was also tough to get to the races. She is afraid of everything. That’s why she wears the fly screen. When I qualified her I couldn’t even get her near other horses. She jumps at any little thing. Even though she has raced eight times she is still really green and has a lot to learn about racing.”

Smith, who also steered her sister Always About Katey, claims the two siblings do not resemble each other in any way.

“I did not get on Katey until she was older,” he said. “But she was always kind of lazy. You had to get into her to make her work. This filly is not like that. She is complete business when she is on the racetrack. She just really needs to learn how to do her job and it’s exciting to know there is so much more to come with her once she realizes what is going on out there. We really don’t even know how to race her the way she likes. We don’t know if she is better off a helmet or on the front end, but I don’t think she even knows that yet. She was just great (in the Kentucky Stallion Management Stakes on Sept. 26) and was strong the entire mile. I think she has a really big future.”

Miller, however, feels Topville Cadillac does have something in common with her older and to date more illustrious sibling.

“She is really lazy training,” he said. “That’s why we just go really long with her all the time. It’s also hard to really get a gauge on her because she is this way. I always knew she had another gear to her and the engine is there. It’s just a matter of her recognizing it when she races.”

The plan is for Topville Cadillac to compete on one more occasion in 2015 and then it’s time for a vacation.

“We skipped the last elimination for the sire stakes with her because I did not want to race her too hard this year,” Miller said. “She will race one more time in the Indiana Sire Stakes and that is enough as we have put her in nine times. She will have a couple weeks off before the next race, but she showed in the Kentucky Stallion Management Stakes she can train into a race then go well. I’m not worried about winning everything. She has already earned back what we put up for her. I just want to educate her and point her towards next year.”

This filly will have quite the agenda for 2016, but Miller will provide her with ample time to prepare.

“We’ll give her as much time as she needs, but we plan on giving her opportunities outside of Indiana next year,” he said. “We will stake her to several races. We have not decided which ones yet, but we have already discussed it. We do know if she is sound and healthy we will keep her eligible for the Breeders Crown. We would like to travel with her and have some fun. She can be difficult for sure but we are very excited about her and what the future holds in store.”