Go Noni Go likes synthetic, wins Bourbonette Oaks

After Go Noni Go was fifth in the Grade 3 Sweetest Chant Stakes at Gulfstream Park in her most recent outing, her connections considered trying the dirt with a filly who had been worse than second on turf only once. But ultimately, trainer Mike Maker came up with a different route.

“We flirted with trying her on the dirt, so we compromised and tried the Poly,” Maker said with a grin.

The compromise was agreeable to Go Noni Go, who rallied in the stretch to win the Grade 3, $100,000 DRF Bets Bourbonette Oaks on Saturday on Turfway Park’s synthetic surface.

This was the third win in nine career starts for Go Noni Go, who was a $100,000 purchase by owner Three Diamonds Farm one day after she broke her maiden on the Ellis Park turf last summer. The Get Stormy filly won an allowance optional-claiming event by six lengths on the Gulfstream turf prior to the Sweetest Chant on Feb. 3.

"She's a very slight filly. She struggles with her weight," Maker said. "But she's very easy to train."

Go Noni Go ($9.60) and Tyler Gaffalione had just one horse beaten in the early stages as Hey Negrita took the field through a moderate opening quarter of 25.29 seconds on a track that had favored speed early in the day.

In the Mood, stretching out after winning the Cincinnati Trophy Stakes at Turfway last out, tracked the pace in second. Go Noni Go advanced up the backstretch and was taking aim from third after three-quarters as In the Mood poked her head in front at that point.

Go Noni Go was fanned out into the six-path for clear sailing around the far turn; once straightened away into the lane, she had all the momentum, collaring In the Mood and kicking on late to win by two lengths. She finished the mile in 1:39.09 and got a 77 Beyer Speed Figure.

In the Mood held second by a neck over Homemade Salsa, who had finished third in the Cincinnati Trophy. The fading Hey Negrita was seven lengths back in fourth; it was another 1 3/4 lengths to Consolida, who came in favored off a victory in the California Oaks on Golden Gate's synthetic track in her American debut.

Mo Flash, Bet She Wins, and Queen's Fate rounded out the order of finish. Child's Play was a late scratch after becoming extremely fractious in the starting gate, kicking out at the back of her enclosure several times and prompting a reload of the field.

Classy Music and Mauk's Tuff were both scratched by their trainers on race morning.

Go Noni Go earned 20 points toward a berth in the Kentucky Oaks with her Bourbonette victory. However, Maker seemed to indicate that the filly, who will soon head to his base at the Trackside training center in Louisville, was not a candidate for the filly classic.

"Chances are she'll try back on the turf, but everything's on the table," he said.