Vinery shuttler Congrats sired his latest stakes winner when I’m Steppin’ It Up scored a front-running victory in the Kent Stakes (1800m) at Delaware Park on Saturday.

Originally slated as a G3 event, the $265,000 Kent Stakes was downgraded to Listed level after being switched from turf to dirt due to inclement weather.  The race’s status will be reviewed by the American Graded Stakes Committee.

I’m Steppin’ It Up (3c Congrats – Cindy Woo Who by Thunder Gulch) is the fifth stakes winner for his sire who was the Champion USA first-season stallion in 2010.

Congrats has kept the momentum going this year and has now sired 67 winners of 129 races at a 59% strike-rate.

I’m Steppin’ It Up was runner-up to eventual Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Pluck (More Than Ready) before breaking his maiden by 10 lengths third time out.

He concluded his juvenile campaign with a G1 placing behind champion colt Uncle Mo in the Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park.

Resuming this year, he won an allowance event by seven lengths before earning more black-type when placed behind Wilburn (Bernardini) in the LR Smarty Jones Stakes.

I’m Steppin’ It Up gave his trainer Tony Pecoraro a memorable 1,000th career victory on Saturday.  The colt was bred in Florida and is a half-brother to stakes winner Thunder Brew (Milwaukee Brew).

Congrats (A P Indy) is currently serving his first southern book of 120 mares at Vinery for a $22,000 (inc gst) fee.

His champion filly Turbulent Descent is gearing up for the G1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Churchill Downs in November.

The California-based filly is last-start winner of the G1 Test Stakes at Saratoga – her third at elite level – following the Hollywood Starlet Stakes and Santa Anita Oaks.

Turbulent Descent is working the house down at Hollywood Park.  On Saturday, she drilled 1000m in 59 seconds which was the fastest of 41 gallops at the distance.