NEWS
Get Stormy to make 2012 debut in Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap
Posted: Wednesday, February 08, 2012 4:44 PM
GET STORMY WINS MAKER'S MARK MILE STAKES
Coady Photography/Keeneland
by Joe Nevills
Get Stormy, a multiple Grade 1 winner in 2011, will make his first start of the season on Saturday in the $300,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap (G1) at the Hallandale Beach, Florida, track.
The first Grade 1 turf race on the North American racing calendar drew a field of ten with one additional main-track only entry should the 1 1/8-mile race be taken off the turf.
Get Stormy reeled off back-to-back Grade 1 victories last spring, scoring first in the Maker’s Mark Mile Stakes (G1) at Keeneland Race Course and following up with a win in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic Stakes (G1) at Churchill Downs. The six-year-old by Stormy Atlantic has proven to be at his best when placed on the lead early, checking in no worse than second after the first quarter-mile in each of his last nine races. He enters Saturday’s race off an unplaced finish in the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) at Churchill Downs.
Ramon Dominguez once again will have the mount after two starts with Garrett Gomez aboard for owner Sullimar Stable and trainer Thomas Bush.
The notable two-race unbeaten streak of Boisterous has come more recently than that of Get Stormy. The five-year-old son of Distorted Humor enters the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap off a pair of graded stakes victories, first winning the Knickerbocker Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park and finishing his 2011 campaign with a win in the Red Smith Handicap (G2) at Aqueduct. Boisterous has shown a tendency to sit in a stalking position and make a wide run at the leaders down the stretch.
Shug McGaughey trains Boisterous for owner Phipps Stable. Regular rider John Velazquez will be reunited with the horse after passing up the mount in the Red Smith to ride in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.
The wild card in the race could be Al Khali, who is cross-entered in the Donn Handicap (G1) earlier on the card. The six-year-old ridgling by Medaglia d’Oro spent the bulk of 2011 competing in Grade 1 turf competition, never finding the winner’s circle, but hitting the board in the Sword Dancer Invitational Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course and the Northern Dancer Turf Stakes (G1).
Alan Garcia will have the riding assignment for Racing Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott and owners Brous Stable and Watchel Stable.
Stakes entries available at Thoroughbred Times
Joe Nevills is a Thoroughbred Times staff writer
READER COMMENTS
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Posted by: Babette, Glen Allen, VA on February 08, 2012 at 04:53 PM
Thank you Joe for a nicely written article. Lots of information, well presented.
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