BY BROCK SHERIDAN
After a miserable trip when seventh in her stakes debut in the $110,000 Pleasant Acres Distaff Turf two starts back, Flying Finish Farm’s homebred Lets Go Koko showed returned to top form to earn her first added-money victory in the $75,000 Powder Break at Gulfstream Park Saturday. The Rory Miller-trained daughter of Ocala Stud’s Adios Charlie was the best of 10 fillies and mares, 3-years-old and older in winning her second straight going a mile on the firm turf.
Lets Go Koko and jockey Edwin Gonzalez went right to the front from post four and put two lengths on Candy Gray in second around the clubhouse turn. Lets Go Koko was never challenged through the half mile in :46.62 and six furlongs in 1:09.62, leading by two lengths ahead of Starship Agenda in second at the top of the stretch. Last year’s Florida-bred champion turf female Dancing N Dixie made her usual late run to get up for second, but could get no closer than a half-length as Lets Go Koko finished in 1:33.51. Dancing N Dixie was a neck ahead of Starship Agenda in third with Lady Cha Cha, Fantasy Performer, De Regreso, Sensitivity, Chick’s Shadow, Candy Gray and Majestic Venezuela completing the order of finish.
Lets Go Koko paid $16.80 to win.
After the challenging trip in the Distaff Turf at Tampa Bay Downs on March 30, Lets Go Koko won a second level, $32,000 optional claiming by a length-and-a-quarter on April 18. She has now won three of four races this year after taking another second level, $32,000 optional claiming going a mile on the Tampa Bay turf on March 1. She was a model of consistency last year winning five of 11 starts with two seconds and three thirds and improved her career ledger to eight wins in 22 races with four second sand four thirds. With the $42,750 earned in the Powder Break, she now has lifetime revenues of $257,360.
Lets Go Koko is out of the Florida-bred mare With Distinction mare Vino de Pago, a producer of two winners from as many starters from three foals. Vino de Pago has an unraced 2-year-old filly by Brethren and was bred back to Adios Charlie in 2024.
Lets Go Koko is the second Florida-bred winner of the Powder Break after Shifty She in 2021. Shifty She was also ridden by Edwin Gonzalez.
Return to the May 31 issue of Wire to Wire
