Congrats sires 15th stakes winner in Florida

Vinery shuttler Congrats sired his latest juvenile black-type winner in Florida on Saturday.

Flutterby (2f Congrats – Zoobie by First and Only) outlasted the favourite Side Street (Street Sense) to register a one-length victory in the LR Cut the Charm Stakes at Calder.

Trainer Jerry Bozzo applied blinkers for the first time on Saturday and she stalked the pace before opening up a commanding advantage at the top of the straight.  Kept up to her work by jockey Luca Panici, the filly withstood a final bid from the runner-up to clock 65.67s for 1100 metres.

Bozza is a 93 year-old War II veteran and he also owns Flutterby’s dam Zoobie.  He prepared her previous starter Zoobstick (Groomstick) who was another a successful local juvenile.

Congrats (A P Indy) has now sired 15 stakes winner ahead of his first Australian yearlings catalogued for the 2014 majors.  He has a total of 28 lots scheduled for the Gold Coast Magic Millions in January

Congrats was Champion USA First Season Sire in 2010 and has so far sired three Group 1 winners led by Champion filly Turbulent Descent who won four times at the highest level.

On top of that, Congrats boasts a tremendous 69% winners-to-runners strike-rate with progeny comfortable on both turf and dirt.

Vinery stands Congrats for a $22,000 (inc gst) fee.