Smooth Win by Turbulent Descent in the Beaumont

Trainer Mike Puype could wind up looking like a genius by year’s end if Turbulent Descent continues to dominate her competition the way she has in five of her six lifetime starts. After finishing her juvenile season undefeated in three starts including the Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet many people had the talented daughter of Congrats pegged as an early Kentucky Oaks favorite. She began 2011 with a solid second place finish to Zazu in the Grade 1 Las Virgenes Stakes, appearing a bit short in her three-year-old debut. In her second start she returned to winning form, holding off Zazu for a comfortable win in the Santa Anita Oaks (gr.1) on March 5th. That win once again had people briefly talking Kentucky Oaks before Mike Puype put those aspirations to rest. After the Santa Anita Derby he stated his star filly would bypass the Kentucky Oaks in favor of shorter, one turn sprint races that he felt his she would thrive on and possible be even better at.

Apparently he was right, as Turbulent Descent romped to victory in her first start outside of California on Sunday, winning Keeneland’s Grade 2 Beaumont Stakes by 5 lengths with just a couple of taps from the whip. After tracking the pace in third position in the closely bunched field of five, Turbulent Descent moved up willingly on the far turn to take command entering the stretch. From that point on it was just a matter of how far she wanted to win by as she steadily opened up with little urging, crossing the finish line five lengths the best. She completed the Beaumont’s 7 furlongs in a solid time of 1:26.12 over Keeneland’s Polytrack surface.

[Does Turbulent Descent deserve her current #1 ranking on HRN's 3 Year Old Fillies rankings page over Kathmanblu, R Heat Lightning, Joyful Victory and Zazu?

Mike Puype has made no secret of the fact that he is gunning for an Eclipse award with his brilliant trainee while aiming her for some of the nation’s premier sophomore filly sprints like the June 11th Acorn (gr.1) and August 6th Test (gr.1). If she continues running the way she has been it’s not a stretch to envision her winning an Eclipse. The last three-year-old filly sprinter to win the Eclipse Award for 3-Year-Old Filly was Indian Blessing in 2008 and I think Turbulent Descent has the potential to be the best female sprinter since that great champion.

Tell A Kelly showed none of her well-known late kick in her three-year-old debut, finishing 4th in the five horse field. Honey Chile finished second after helping set the pace up front with Gran Lioness.

The Beaumont will probably have very little impact if any on the Kentucky Oaks, but on the overall sophomore filly picture it could have big ramifications.
 
Photo Courtesy of Mathea Kelley

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