BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Florida-bred Turca made up more than six lengths in the stretch to nail Coraline at the wire and upset a five-and-a-half-furlong maiden special weight on the all weather course at Gulfstream Park Saturday. With Marcos Meneses aboard, the Monica McGoey trainee won her debut at odds of 18-1 in a field of 10 juvenile fillies.

Turca was slow to get underway from post seven and had only one horse beat initially as Coraline jetted to a length lead on Southern Kiss in second in the short run to the turn. Coraline was a half-length in front through the first quarter mile in :22.34 and increased that margin to a length-and-a-half in the stretch after a :45.50 half mile. Turca began passing horses while five-wide in the turn to get third at the top of the lane then steadily gained on Coraline in the run to the wire, getting up to win by a neck in :39.60. Coraline was second, two-and-a-quarter lengths faster than Southern Kiss in third.

Turca paid $39.60 to win and earned $28,650 for owner R G Thoroughbreds.

Bred in Florida by Joe Imbesi of Manalapan, Turca is by Briardale Farm stallion Social Inclusion out of the winning Candy Ride (Arg) mare Kindred, who was purchased by Imbesi for $25,000 out of the Summerfield consignment at the 2020 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Winter Mixed Sale.

Return to the November 7 issue of Wire to Wire