Robert J. Hunt's homebred Runaway Storm, at odds of 20-1, outbattled 1-2 favorite Talk of the Nation on his outside and 37-1 longshot Santorini on his inside and posted a head victory in the 19th running of the $297,307 Bryan Station (G3) for 3-year-olds on Saturday's closing day of the Keeneland Fall Meet.
Ridden by Colby Hernandez and trained by Ethan West, Runaway Storm took the one-mile race on a turf course labeled good in 1:35.93. The victory marked West's first stakes win at Keeneland.
Runaway Storm is a Kentucky-bred gelding by Midnight Storm out of Runaway Betty, by Run Away and Hide. Saturday's victory was worth $179,025, which boosted his career earnings to $288,525 with three wins in five starts. Runaway Storm was third in the New Kent County Virginia Derby (G3) at Colonial Downs on Sept. 9 in his start prior to the Bryan Station.
Talk of the Nation outfinished Santorini by a nose for second.
The winner paid $42.50.
“(The finish was) very nerve-wracking,” West said. “It was exciting. I wasn't sure if we had it or not. Everybody kept telling us that we had it, but until they posted No. 6, I wasn't going to believe it. I was very confident in the horse, actually, even though he was longer odds. He's been training down here for a few weeks now and had three very solid works going into it. After his turf work last week I called the owner, Dr. (Robert) Hunt and said, 'He's ready. He's ready to run.' ”
Hernandez said Runaway Storm showed tenacity to get the win.
“He dug in,” he said. “When the horse on the outside (odds-on favorite Talk of the Nation) ran up to me, he wasn't going to let the horse pass. He just dug in. He was jumping away down the lane. Yes, (I knew I had it) in the last three yards. He wasn't going to let that horse pass. Just kept digging in and found more. I want to thank (trainer) Ethan (West) and his team for giving me the opportunity.”
Smokey Mandate finished fourth and was followed by Dude N Colorado (GB), Gigante, Worthington, and Appraise (IRE).
The Bryan Station was one of three stakes on the final day of the Keeneland season. O'Connor (CHI) took the $310,538 Hagyard Fayette (G2), and Glengarry won the $169,775 Bowman Mill.
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