Turn On The Jets rallies inside to take stakes debut

DEL MAR, Calif. - Turn On The Jets rallied on the inside from off the pace to win his stakes debut in Saturday’s $101,500 Stormy Liberal Stakes for turf sprinters at Del Mar.

Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Turn On The Jets ($6.60) was sent off favored and finished 2 1/4 lengths clear of 4-1 Whatmakessammyrun.

Turn On The Jets inherited the role of favorite after morning-line favorite Lane Way was withdrawn on Saturday morning. Trainer Richard Mandella said Saturday he was unhappy with the manner in which Lane Way had trained in the days leading to the Stormy Liberal.

Lane Way’s absence left the Stormy Liberal with a field of eight.

Turn On The Jets was fourth on the turn, but had a clear trip on the inside through the stretch, taking the lead before the eighth pole. Turn On The Jets finished five furlongs in 55.75 seconds and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 96.

:: DRF Bets members get FREE DRF Past Performances - Formulator or Classic. Join now!

“He did it the right way,” winning trainer Phil D’Amato said. “He got a nice trip.”

Whatmakessammyrun, the winner of the Grade 2 Eddie D Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 1, finished a nose in front of 4-1 Sumter. Rebel Posse finished fourth, followed by Coulthard, Get Back Goldie, Respect the Code and Hot Box.

Turn On The Jets, a 3-year-old Irish-bred gelding by Mehmas, had his fourth start in the United States in the Stormy Liberal. He finished first, second and third in three allowance races for turf sprinters at Del Mar and Santa Anita from mid-August to early November.

With the win in the Stormy Liberal, Turn On The Jets earned $60,000 for the partnership of Jeff Benowitz, Michael Nentwig, John Rochfort, and Ray Pagano.

Turn On The Jets has won 3 of 8 starts in his career. In Ireland, Turn On The Jets won once in four starts, an allowance race at five furlongs on the synthetic track at Dundalk Racecourse last December.

The Stormy Liberal Stakes was run for the first time this year, and was D’Amato’s third stakes win of the current Del Mar meeting, which ends on Sunday.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.