Vinery stallion Congrats passed the 50 winner mark in style when his first starter Top Candidate won by five lengths at Woodbine on Wednesday night.

Top Candidate (3f Congrats – First Interview by Private Interview) kept in touch with the leader River Angel and then rallied strongly in the straight under Jesse Campbell to win as she liked over 1200m.

The filly was bred in Florida by New Dawn Stud and NTS Stable and is trained by Harold Gensler for the T & T Racing Team.  Her dam First Interview is a winning half-sister to the Listed winners Phantom Finn (Compliance) and Moorish Prince (Personal Flag).

Congrats (A.P. Indy) was initially based at Vinery Florida but was elevated to its Kentucky headquarters after winning the 2010 North American first-season sires’ premiership.  He will shuttle to Australia for a $22,000 fee this year.  

The 50 Florida bred winners have won a total of 88 races at a 57% strike-rate.

His champion filly Turbulent Descent was beaten in the G1 Acorn Stakes on afternoon of upsets at Belmont Park last Saturday.  She can bounce back in the G1 Test Stakes at Saratoga in August .