Turnerloose

Some trivia for you equine enthusiasts out there. Who is the only horse to have two graded stakes named after them? The answer is Bayakoa (Arg). The Ron McAnally trainee who won a pair of GI Breeders' Cup Distaffs has one at Oaklawn, while its counterpart takes place this Friday at Los Alamitos Racecourse. The Grade III event out West pits morning-line favorite and Arizona-bred Desert Dawn (Cupid) versus six others going 1 1/16 miles. The 4-year-old filly trained by Phil D'Amato is loaded with class, even though she has...

A trio of GI Kentucky Derby contenders put in their final works ahead of next weekend's Run for the Roses. The only one of the three to work at Churchill Downs was GI Toyota Blue Grass S. winner Zandon (Upstart). Working on his own at 7:30 a.m. over a fast track with regular morning partner Kriss Bon aboard, the Chad Brown pupil completed the five furlongs in 1:00.40 (7/43). Churchill Downs clockers caught Zandon in fractions of :12.80, :25, :36.80, 1:00.40 and out in 1:12.80 and 1:26.40. "I just didn't...

'TDN Rising Star' Zozos (Munnings), most recently runner-up to Epicenter (Not This Time) in the GII Louisiana Derby Mar. 26, continued his preparations for the May 7 GI Kentucky Derby with a five-furlongs work that was timed in 1:00.20 Friday morning at Churchill Downs. Breezing in the company of his GI Longines Kentucky Oaks-bound stablemate Turnerloose (Nyquist), the Barry and Joni Butzow homebred was out at 5:30 a.m. and broke off about a length behind the GII Rachel Alexandra S. heroine before galloping along through fractions of :24 flat and...

Undefeated champion and 'TDN Rising Star' Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) makes her highly anticipated seasonal bow Saturday in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks. Flashing her talent with an impressive debut at Saratoga July 15, the $300,000 KEESEP acquisition had things her own way from start to finish in that venue's GI Spinway S. Sept. 5, winning by four lengths. She took no prisoners next out Belmont, romping by 7 1/4 lengths in the GI Frizette S. Oct. 3 and was equally dominant in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies S....

It's a tough spot, going up against Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks, but as owner Ike Thrash puts it, it's not every day that you get to take on the Eclipse Award-winning champion 2-year-old filly. So Ike and his wife Dawn are eager to make the two-hour trip from their home in Mississippi to Fair Grounds on Saturday to watch their filly Turnerloose (Nyquist) go up against a talented field of sophomore fillies vying for points on the road to the Kentucky Oaks. Thrash is...

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...

Turnerloose stalked the pace, took over heading for home and poured it on from there to streak home an impressive winner of this lucrative event. Fellow Brad Cox trainee Yin Yang was a clear-cut second under red-hot Joel Rosario after briefly looking like she could threaten her stablemate for the top spot, while Runhappy Ellis Park Debutante S. winner Verylittlecents (Goldencents) was third in her turf debut. "Both are very good fillies," said Cox's assistant Jorje Abrego. "I said last week that I liked both fillies, that I thought I'd...