Turco Bravo Breaks Through in Stymie Stakes
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Chilean-bred Turco Bravo landed his first North American win in the $100,000 Stymie Stakes March 22 at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Given a perfect trip by jockey Jose Ortiz, Turco Bravo avenged a trio of inner-track defeats at Aqueduct in the Evening Attire Stakes Feb. 22, Jazil Stakes Jan. 19, and Queens County Stakes Dec. 13, in which he finished behind Stymie entrants North Slope, Micromanage, and Vyjack.
"Today, he got the trip," said Gary Contessa, who trains Turco Bravo for Winning Move Stable. "He got the perfect trip and he'd been training great. He was in yesterday at Laurel (Park), too, but we decided to scratch and run here.
"I think the more distance for him, the better. Those South American horses want to run all day long. Today was 1 1/8 miles and I wouldn't mind seeing him at 1 1/4 miles, either. I liked the way he closed in his first race in this country (at Gulfstream Park West, October 2014). The price was right, and we bought him looking ahead to the winter here. We went the whole winter without winning a stake with him, so I'm glad he got the chance to vindicate himself."
Sent off as the longest shot on the board at 9-1, the chestnut gelding relaxed along the rail behind a sensible pace set by Cousin Stephen of :24.36 for the opening quarter-mile, :49.13 for the half, and 1:13.99 for six furlongs.
Positions remained unchanged as the field turned for home, while Ortiz simply tilted Turco Bravo out a path for running room and took off after the pacesetter, collaring him a few strides before the wire. Turco Bravo, a 6-year-old son of Caesarion, prevailed by a half-length and completed the distance in 1:51.80 on a fast track.
"He broke good. I could've gone to the lead, but I didn't want to," Ortiz said. "I just followed (Cousin Stephen) all the way and I got a little room at the three-sixteenths pole. I decided to go and the horse responded very well."
Turco Bravo, who won 10 races in his native Chile before coming to the U.S. last fall, returned $21.60 to win and increased his bankroll to $242,318. The Stymie marked the seventh domestic start for the gelding, who was bred by Haras Carioca from the winning Barkerville mare Turkish Queen. Second dam Turkish Silk is a full sister to U.S. grade I winner Turk Passer and a half sister to stakes winner Silken Doll, whose daughter, 1995 Canadian champion 2-year-old filly Silken Cat, produced U.S. champion sprinter and prominent sire Speightstown .
Cousin Stephen finished second, two lengths clear of Evening Attire winner North Slope.
The Todd Pletcher-trained Micromanage and 9-5 favorite Vyjack completed the order of finish.