THE stocks of Vinery Stud’s outstanding young sire Congrats continue to soar with the A.P Indy adding another new Grade 1 winner to his tally in the US on the weekend.
The Allen Jerkens-trained Emma’s Encore, already the winner of last month’s Grade 3 Belmont Victory Ride Stakes, came from came from behind to take out the Grade 1 Prioress Stakes (1200m) at Saratoga.
Emma’s Encore joins Congrat’s previous two Grade 1 winners, Turbulent Descent and Wickedly Perfect, both members of Congrats astonishing first crop which saw him named Leading First Season Sire in the USA (2010).
“After she won the Victory Ride, I was really confident in her,” winning jockey Junior Alvarado said. ”She broke really good again. I got her to settle and feel comfortable in the race. We tried to save ground because I knew we were going to be running late. Turning for home, she was moving, but we were wider than I wanted to be.
“She gave me a really nice kick at the end. She ran really hard to win that race. Approaching the wire, I knew we had it. These last two races have really worked out well for us.”
Congrats is proving to be a fabulous young sire with 105 winners including 23 stakes performers.
He is trading at an astonishing 71 percent winners to runners which is just 0.3 percent below associate sire, Testa Rossa – considered to be one of the most prolific stallions in Australia.
