BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Florida-bred Lets Go Koko, a winner of three of her last four races and four of her last six, has been assigned to carry the highweight of 121 pounds in Saturday’s $75,000 Ginger Punch Handicap set for one mile on the turf at Gulfstream Park. Lets Go Koko is one of 10 fillies and mares entered including fellow Florida-breds Charlie’s Wish, Lady Cha Cha and Burnaway.

Trained by Rory Miller for owner and breeder Flying Finish Farm Inc., Lets Go Koko won three straight from April through June including the $75,000 Powder Break going a mile on the grass at Gulfstream on May 31. She book-ended that victory with a length-and-a-quarter score in a second condition, $32,000 optional claiming going a mile on the grass at Tampa Bay Downs on April 18 and with a half-length tally over a mile-and-70-yards on synthetic in an off-the-turf $25,000 starter allowance, optional claiming on June 26 at Gulfstream.

 

The 4-year-old daughter of Ocala Stud’s Adios Charlie started the year winning a second condition, $32,000 optional claiming going a mile on the grass at Tampa Bay Downs on March 1 but looks to avenge a loss in her last race. On Aug. 16 in the $70,000 Frolic’s Revenge overnight handicap going a mile on the Gulfstream turf, Lets Go Koko faded to fourth behind winner Starship Impulsive, the 9-5 morning line favorite in the Ginger Punch.

 

Lets Go Koko is out of Vino de Pago, by With Distinction and has earned $284,290 from nine wins, four seconds and four thirds in 24 starts. 

Edwin Gonzalez will ride from post three and they are 10-1 on the morning line.

Charlie’s Wish won last year’s Ginger Punch, moved off the turf to a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the all-weather course. However, her two other career stakes victories came on grass in the $100,000 Azalea going seven furlongs at Gulfstream Park in 2023 and in the $110,000 Pleasant Acres Distaff Turf at a mile-and-a-sixteenth on Florida Cup Day at Tampa Bay Downs in March of last year.

 

The 5-year-old Charlie’s Wish is trained by David Fawkes for Royalight Racing LLC and she has won five of 23 career races with seven seconds and five thirds while banking a field-high $419,149. She is by Double Diamond Farm stallion First Dude out of Superior Sarah, by Werblin and was bred in Florida by Three Gin Guys Stable.

Charlie’s Wish will carry 120 pounds including jockey Miquel Vasquez from post four. They are 3-1 on the morning line.

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. has entered Florida-bred Lady Cha Cha and Leo Toro.

Lady Cha Cha was fourth in the Powder Break and in one start since, was fifth behind winner Oshala, another Ginger Punch entrant, in a first level, $25,000 optional claiming going a mile-and-70-yards on the Gulfstream synthetic on July 12.

Lady Cha Cha is 7-2 on the morning line and has been assigned to carry 118 pounds. She is by Vino Rosso out of Peisinoe, by Yes It’s True and was bred in Florida by English Range Farm. 

Owned by Golden Kernel Racing Stable, Lady Cha Cha has three wins, a second and two thirds with earnings of $124,763.

Edgard Zayas will guide Lady Cha Cha from post five.

Burnaway makes her first start after being claimed by trainer Scott Acker for $20,000 out of a second-place finished to Ginger Punch rival Show Off on Sept. 5. Now owned by Robert Proulx, that was the fourth consecutive race in which Burnaway was taken through the claim box going back to an eight-and-three-quarters-lengths victory at the $12,500 claiming level at Gulfstream in May.

 

Burnaway is by Big Drama out of Bold Char, by General Quarters and was bred by the late Harold L. Queen. She has three wins in 25 career starts with 10 seconds and three thirds and earnings of $195,020.

Burnaway will break from post one under 115 pounds including jockey Edgar Perez. They are 30-1 on the morning line.

Completing the field are Crafty Collector with Samuel Marin taking the riding assignment, Rajiv Maragh rides Oshala, Starship Agenda with jockey Luca Panici, Joe Bravo will guide Show Off, Leo Toro will have Micah Husbands up and Leonel Reyes takes the call on 9-5 morning line favorite Starship Impulsive.

Return to the September 19 issue of Wire to Wire