Ike and Dawn Thrash's Turnerloose (Nyquist) sprung a 17-1 upset to put herself on the GI Kentucky Oaks trail while making her first start on dirt in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. at the Fair Grounds. Away alertly, the dark bay hustled up to be in contention before settling back in a ground-saving fourth as the well-related and previously unbeaten Silverbulletday S. winner La Crete (Medaglia d'Oro) dictated terms with GSW Hidden Connection (Connect) hot on her heels through a :23.94 opening quarter. La Crete was pulled up sharply as the half went up in :48.18, plummeting to the back of the pack, leaving Hidden Connection in charge.
Turnerloose inched closer, but was instantly shuffled back again as a slew of rivals charged up on her outside. Florent Geroux was undeterred, sitting chilly atop the Brad Cox pupil turning for home. He swung his mount out two wide in the lane as Goddess of Fire (Mineshaft) charged up alongside the pacesetter. Turnerloose was grinding along the outside and forged clear late to win by a half-length. Goddess of Fire held second and Awake at Midnyte (Nyquist) filled the show spot.
La Crete's owner Stonestreet Stable tweeted that the filly suffered a condylar fracture and is a good candidate for surgical repair.
“To be honest I didn't know if she could handle the dirt,” said trainer Brad Cox. “She worked well enough last fall. I gave her a little bit of a break. She worked well enough here at Fair Grounds. She tries hard. Always tries hard. We saw a better version of her today than we did in California [at the Breeders' Cup]. The two logical spots are the [GII] Fair Grounds Oaks or the [GI Central Bank] Ashland.”
A debut winner on the grass at Ellis Park July 16, Turnerloose romped by five lengths in the Aristocrat Juvenile Fillies S. at Kentucky Downs Sept. 6. Setting the pace in Keeneland's grassy GII Jessamine S. Oct. 13, she was run down late by California Angel (California Chrome) and forced to settle for third and faded to 14th when last seen in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf S. at Del Mar Nov. 5.
Pedigree Notes:
Turnerloose is the fourth graded winner and one of seven black-type achievers for her young sire Nyquist. She is one of 247 black-type winners for her legendary broodmare sire A.P. Indy and the 117th graded scorer out of one of his daughters. The winner's unraced dam Goaltending is a daughter of Grade I winner Game Face (Menifee). The 11-year-old mare did not have a foal in 2020, but had an Arrogate filly in 2021 and a City of Light filly Jan. 12 of this year.
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