Star turf filly Got Stormy capped off a brilliant season by striking the lead in the final furlong and holding sway late to capture the GI Matriarch S. as a heavy favorite Sunday afternoon at Del Mar.
Reeling off three consecutive stakes tallies as a sophomore last year in the Penn Oaks, Wild Applause S. and GIII Ontario Colleen S., the chestnut was off the board in her next two before sharply annexing a Gulfstream allowance to kick off her 4-year-old campaign Mar. 7. Finishing a good third at 21-1 in the GI Coolmore Jenny Wiley S. Apr. 13 at Keeneland, she was runner-up at 12-1 in the GII Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile S. May 4. Given a brief break, she scored powerfully upon returning in the De La Rose S. Aug. 3 at Saratoga and famously came back in seven days to beat the boys in the GI Fourstardave H. at the Spa. A close second in the GI Ricoh Woodbine Mile S. Sept. 14, she completed an all-female exacta in the GI TVG Breeders' Cup Mile last out Nov. 2.
Off just a half-step slowly in this spot, Got Stormy quickly recovered and found a cozy spot in the clear while sixth behind strong splits of :22.55 and :45.55. Pateintly handled on the far turn by Tyler Gaffalione, she came calling four deep approaching the straightaway and was spun further out at the top of the lane. Overtaking Juliet Foxtrot (GB) a furlong from home, she edged clear from there and held firm from late-running Daddy Is a Legend to triumph. Juliet Foxtrot held third.
“She's amazing,” said winning trainer Mark Casse. “Put her on a van, put her on a plane, she just goes wherever and runs. We kept hearing that she'd only won one Grade I, so we had to fix that. She's been through a lot in the last month but she just keeps fighting. You don't get a lot like her. She'll definitely stay in training next year.”
“Funny. I told Mark in the paddock: 'I think this race might set up just like the Fourstardave,” added Gaffalione. “And if it does, we'll win.' Sure enough, it was exactly like that race. Perfect. She just sat back there nice and relaxed and then when it came time, she was gone.”
Pedigree Notes:
Got Stormy, one of seven stakes winners and four graded stakes winners for Crestwood Farm's Get Stormy, is his lone top-level scorer thus far from four crops to race. She is the fifth foal to race out of Super Phoebe, who spent her entire racing career in Puerto Rico, and her second black-type performer, following SP Sky Gold. Super Phoebe is a half-sister to MGSW/MGISP Smooth Air (Smooth Jazz) and GSW and sire Overdriven (Tale of the Cat). Bought for $4,500 at KEENOV in 2010, she is responsible for a yearling colt by Super Saver and her weanling Mohaymen colt brought $145,000 from Redly Bloodstock at Fasig-Tipton October. She was bred to Bolt d'Oro this spring.
Sunday, Del Mar
MATRIARCH S.-GI, $302,106, Del Mar, 12-1, 3yo/up, f/m, 1mT, 1:34.24, fm.
1–GOT STORMY, 123, f, 4, by Get Stormy
1st Dam: Super Phoebe, by Malabar Gold
2nd Dam: Air France, by French Deputy
3rd Dam: Twin Propeller, by Known Fact
($23,000 Ylg '16 KEESEP; $45,000 2yo '17 EASMAY). O-Gary
Barber; B-Mt. Joy Stables, Pope & Marc McLean & Pope
McLean, Jr. (KY); T-Mark E. Casse; J-Tyler Gaffalione. $180,000.
Lifetime Record: 18-8-3-3, $1,430,578. Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Daddy Is a Legend, 123, f, 4, by Scat Daddy
1st Dam: Randie's Legend, by Benchmark
2nd Dam: Eternal Legend, by Gold Legend
3rd Dam: Eternal Search, by Northern Answer
'TDN Rising Star' ($140,000 Wlg '15 KEENOV; $160,000 Ylg '16
KEESEP). O-Jim & Susan Hill; B-HnR Nothhaft Horseracing LLC
(PA); T-George Weaver. $60,000.
3–Juliet Foxtrot (GB), 123, f, 4, by Dansili (GB)
1st Dam: Kilo Alpha (GB), by King's Best
2nd Dam: Anasazi (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
3rd Dam: Navajo Princess, by Drone
O/B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-Brad H. Cox. $36,000.
Margins: 3/4, 3/4, 1 1/4. Odds: 1.40, 5.80, 4.60.
Also Ran: Toinette, Storm the Hill, Simply Breathless (GB), Significant Form, Giza Goddess, Mucho Unusual, Lakerball, Painting Corners. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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