Turbulent Descent rises to the occasion in Starlet

Last updated: 12/11/10 9:32 PM

Turbulent Descent moved her
record to a perfect three-for-three in the Starlet

(Alex Evers/EquiSport Photos)

Blinkers On Racing Stable and Straus Butler’s TURBULENT DESCENT (Congrats)
continued her ascent into the top ranks with an easy victory in Saturday’s
$409,250

Hollywood Starlet S. (G1). The bay lass catapulted round the turn and drew
off under a hand ride from jockey David Flores to be 1 1/4 lengths clear on the
line, finishing up 1 1/16 miles on the Cushion Track in 1:44.

Flores tucked Turbulent Descent down on the rail after exiting the gate,
saving ground as Nina Fever (Borrego) led the field through splits of :23 2/5,
:47 and 1:12 on the backstretch. May Day Rose (Rockport Harbor) was keeping in
close attendance to the outside of the pacesetter while Big Tiz (Tiznow) tracked
in third. As Nina Fever approached the final turn, May Day Rose and Big Tiz
began their moves; a little farther back, so was Turbulent Descent.

The Mike Puype pupil split those latter two runners as the quartet fanned out
entering the lane and kicked on when Flores asked for some run. Turbulent
Descent maintained her momentum to the wire to capture her graded bow in stellar
fashion.

“I wasn’t going to take any chances and I would have hit her, but it was not
needed,” Flores said. “I just hand rode her all the way out. I just showed her
the whip. It was a little more like a test today, but she won just the same.

“I am a little excited and a little relieved. I’m excited because I can tell
what kind of horse she is. The relief is she handled the two turns well. She was
relaxed and just great.”

The juvenile miss was the even-money favorite in the eight-filly field,
paying $4.20, $3.20 and $2.20 while keying the $1 exotics worth $49 (exacta) and
$179 (trifecta).

“I was never worried about this race,” Puype said. “I never thought for a
second she wouldn’t handle two turns. She’s just a really good filly and she’s
got a great promising future ahead of her. She won just as easily as she did the
other two times. No question about it. She’s very impressive.

“We’ll give her a little break right now and she’ll show up in about two
months.”

Turbulent Descent will face dirt for the first time at Santa Anita

(Benoit Photos)

Puype mentioned in a post-race interview that the February 5 Las Virgenes S.
(G1) might be Turbulent Descent’s next stop.

Big Tiz was best of the rest, returning $17.60 and $5.40 as the
37-1 third longest shot on the board. It was another 1 1/4 lengths back to
Darley Debutante (G1) winner Tell a Kelly (Tapit), who gave back $2.60 as the
near 5-2 second choice. May Day Rose held fourth by 1 3/4 lengths over Zazu
(Tapit) to complete the 5-6-8-3 superfecta that totaled $539.20 for a $1 wager.

True Way of Grace (Yes It’s True), Nina Fever and Luna Grande (Mass Media)
finished out the order under the wire.

Turbulent Descent is now a perfect three-for-three lifetime and has
accumulated $328,350 in lifetime earnings with the $245,550 winner’s share from
Saturday’s race. She’s gone off the favorite in all three starts, including when
breaking her maiden debut by three parts of a length on October 3 during the Oak
Tree meet. Given nearly a two-month break, the filly was brought back to try
stakes rivals in only her second start and passed that test with flying colors
when adding a 1 1/2-length score in the November 21 Moccasin S. to her resume.

Turbulent Descent was a $160,000 OBS April two-year-old purchase by Blinkers
On Racing Stable. Bred by Ocala Stud in Florida, she is the first stakes winner
out of the unraced Forestry mare Roger’s Sue, who has since foaled a yearling
Trippi colt.

With her third dam being multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Gorgeous (Slew
o’ Gold), Turbulent Descent comes from the family of this year’s Falmouth S.
(Eng-G1) heroine Music Show (Noverre) as well as 2009 Ruffian H. (G1) and
Delaware H. (G2) victress Swift Temper (Giant’s Causeway). Turbulent Descent’s
fourth dam is Broodmare of the Year and Canadian champion Kamar (Key to the
Mint), who would go on in the breeding shed to produce the likes of Canadian
champion and sire Key to the Moon (Wajima) as well as 1990 Kentucky Oaks (G1)
queen Seaside Attraction (Seattle Slew).

Kamar is also the granddam of European Horse of the Year and stallion
Fantastic Light (Rahy), champion two-year-old filly Golden Attraction (Mr.
Prospector), Grade 1-winning sire Cape Town (Seeking the Gold) and Grade
3-scoring stallion Cape Canaveral (Mr. Prospector).