Vinery shuttler Congrats will finish runner-up in the 2011 North American second-season sires’ premiership if Turbulent Descent wins the G1 La Brea Stakes at Santa Anita Park on Saturday.

Darley shuttler Bernardini is a runaway winner of the second-season championship with earnings of $5.22 million in North America.  He leads Bluegrass Cat ($3.39 million) and Congrats ($3.27 million) but will snatch second spot if Turbulent Descent wins the Le Brea which is worth $300,000.

Turbulent Descent (3f Congrats – Roger’s Sue by Forestry) has won 6 of her 9 starts including G1 victories in the Hollywood Starlet, Santa Anita Oaks and Test Stakes at Saratoga.

She enters the La Brea off an unlucky fifth-place finish in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on November 4 at Churchill Downs.  “The trip was murderous in the Breeders’ Cup,” trainer Mike Puype said.  “She’s our fastest three-year-old filly and will redeem herself this Saturday.

“We’re planning on running her next year, too,” Puype added.  “There’s a lot more Group 1 races out there for her in 2012.”

Congrats goes into the final weekend of the year with career stats of 81 winners of 171 races at a 64% strike-rate.

Bernardini and Congrats are both sons of A P Indy.  Congrats won the 2010 North American first-season sires’ premiership before shuttling to Vinery for the first time this year.  He served 120 mares in the Hunter Valley for a $22,000 (inc gst) fee.