Twirling Queen finds home on Tapeta, wins Melody of Colors

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - The switch from dirt to the Tapeta track has been a game changer for Twirling Queen, who won her second straight over the synthetic surface and became a stakes winner for the first time with a three-quarter-length decision over Karaya in Sunday’s $100,000 Melody of Colors at Gulfstream Park.

The Melody of Colors was originally carded for the turf, but moved to the Tapeta course due to heavy rain in the area on Friday and Saturday.

Twirling Queen made her Tapeta debut, and first start since being transferred to trainer Jose D’Angelo’s barn following the completion of her 2-year-old campaign, under allowance conditions here on February 8. She turned in a game effort to register a hard-fought head victory over Dot while dismissed at odds of 31-1 that afternoon.

Twirling Queen went postward at a bit more modest price of 13-1 in the Melody of Colors and again was prominent from the outset, stalking the pace of the previously undefeated El Terreno down the backstretch and around the turn. Twirling Queen disposed of the odds-on favorite leaving the turn, edged clear, then maintained a safe margin under vigorous urging from jockey Luis Saez when challenged by Karaya through the final furlong.

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Karaya, well placed from the outset, rallied wide and just behind the winner entering the stretch, loomed boldly at the head of the lane but could not make any further headway on Twirling Queen through the final furlong. Pretty Liam rallied mildly to finish third, another 2 3/4 lengths farther back, with El Terreno checking home a tiring and disappointing fourth in her 3-year-old bow.

The Melody of Colors lost its star attraction, Group 2 Queen Mary winner Crimson Advocate, who was scratched by trainer George Weaver once the race came off the grass.

Twirling Queen, a daughter of Twirling Candy owned by GU Racing Stables, completed the five-furlong distance in 56.22 seconds and paid $29.60.

“She’s a little filly but has a big heart,” Saez said. “She put me in a great spot and at the top of the stretch, she gave me a good kick.”

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