OUTSTANDING Congrats daughter Turbulent Descent is chasing her fourth Grade 1 win when she tackles the $500,000 Ballerina Stakes (1400m) at Saratoga whilst Gun Boat has recovered from his Amsterdam Stakes stumble and heads into the Foxwoods King’s Bishop Gr.1.
A member of Congrats’ epic first crop, Turbulent Descent was named Equal Leading 3YO Filly (Sprint) on the World Thoroughbred Rankings in 2001.
Turbulent Descent has won 7 of her 11 starts highlighted by the Santa Anita Oaks, Hollywood Starlet Stakes and the Test Stakes staged at Saratoga.
The mare recently changed hands in a private deal sold to global entities Coolmore who have given the mare over to Todd Pletcher to train.
Pletcher, a Hall of Fame trainer, also guided the careers of More Than Ready and his stylish son Pluck.
Turbulent Descent is one of 109 individual winners sired by Congrats including 23 stakes performers and three separate Grade 1 winners.
The most of recent those, Emma’s Encore, will bypass Saturday’s Test Stakes and instead be reserved the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom Handicap at Belmont on September 22.
“The Test is back a little bit quick,’’ Emma’s Encore’s trainer Allen Jerkins told TDN.
“It’s hard to turn down a $500,000 race, but we’ll wait for the Gallant Bloom Handicap. She’s a nice filly, I hope she’s around for a while.’’
MEANWHILE Congrats son Gun Boat, a powerful allowance winner two races back at Betfair Hollywood Park for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, has remained at Saratoga to prepare for the Foxwoods King’s Bishop Gr.1 since his sixth-place finish in the Amsterdam Stakes Gr.2
In that race, the Congrats colt fell to his face at the start, costing him any chance of victory. He is 5-1 for the Foxwoods King’s Bishop Gr.1
