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Neptune’s Storm Gets Narrow Victory In Lure Stakes At Santa Anita

Heavily favored Neptune's Storm ran to the betting in Saturday's $70,000 Lure Stakes at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., as the 5-year-old Stormy Atlantic gelding accelerated nicely off the turn for home en route to a methodical neck victory under Flavien Prat. Trained by Peter Miller, Neptune's Storm got one mile on turf in 1:35.49.

A close second to pacesetter Lambeau to the far turn, Neptune's Storm drew alongside mid-way around the far turn, and with three-sixteenths of a mile to run, there was little doubt he'd deliver the mail, although Prat stayed busy late to keep him focused as he kept runner-up Order and Law at bay close to home.

“We had a good trip,” said Prat, who along with Miller registered his second win on the day. “He was traveling well and when I asked him turning for home, he kicked on well. When he went by that horse (Lambeau), he messed around a bit. He's an old man, he knows what he's doing.”

Most recently ninth against much tougher competition going a mile and one quarter on turf in the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Classic here on Oct. 2, Neptune's Storm was off at 1-2 in a field of six 3-year-olds and up and paid $3.00, $2.60, and $2.20.

“I think Flavien did a great job getting him out in the clear,” said Miller. “When Edwin (Maldonado, aboard Lambeau) slowed it down…, I thought well, we have no excuses. He tried to pull himself up a little bit the last eighth of a mile, but Flavien stayed busy enough and we got it done.”

Owned by CYBT, Saul Gervitz, Lynn Gitomer, Mike Goetz, Michael Nentwig, and Daniel Weiner, Neptune's Storm also relished a return to a flat mile as he registered his sixth win from 12 tries at the distance. With the winner's share of $44,880, Neptune's Storm, a two-time graded stakes winner, increased his earnings to $981,865.

Ridden by Abel Cedillo, Order and Law rallied from off the pace to make it close late as he finished three-quarters of a length in front of Lambeau. Off at 10-1, he paid $6.20 and $4.00.

Lambeau finished a length clear of second choice Majestic Eagle and paid $5.00 to show while off at 12-1.

Fractions on the race were :23.12, :47.66, 1:12.17, and 1:23.80.

Prat would go to notch his third win of the day in the eighth race aboard the Richard Baltas-trained Barbwire and appeared poised to get his fourth win of the afternoon aboard early favorite Urban in the ninth and final race.

First post time for a nine-race card on Sunday is at 1 p.m.

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Neptune’s Storm Returns To Best Distance In Lure Stakes At Santa Anita

Neptune's Storm, a versatile son of prolific turf sire Stormy Atlantic, returns to a distance he fancies—one mile on grass—in next Saturday's $70,000 Lure Stakes for three-year-olds and up at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif.

The bay gelding is coming off an eventful ninth-place finish in the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship at a mile and a quarter, the longest route ever attempted in his 23 career starts.

“A mile is a better distance for him,” said trainer Peter Miller, alluding to the tractable campaigner's record of five wins, one second, and one third over that venue.

Leading rider Flavien Prat, who won the restricted Wickerr Stakes on Neptune's Storm at a mile on Del Mar's turf course July 18, will be back aboard.

“He's a nice horse that tries hard,” said Miller, who has had Neptune's Storm for his last four races, the gelding having previously been trained by Richard Baltas and earlier Bill Morey.

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Flavius Best In Lure Stakes At Saratoga

Juddmonte homebred Flavius, with Flavien Prat in the irons, wired Saturday's $120,000 Fasig-Tipton Lure, at 1 1/16-miles on the Mellon turf for older horses at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Trainer Chad Brown, who captured his 2000th career win on Friday, saddled a trio of Lure starters comprised of Value Proposition, Delaware, and Flavius, who entered from a runner-up effort in the Seek Again on May 22 at Belmont Park.

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Value Proposition, racing for purse money only after losing a front shoe on the way to the gate, broke well from post 3 and secured a ground-saving position as Flavius exited post 4 with intent, establishing the opening quarter-mile in 24.52 seconds on the firm turf.

Flavius maintained his lead down the backstretch through a half-mile in :48.99 with Tell Your Daddy providing pressure from the outside in second position as Value Proposition continued to enjoy a pocket trip. Fighting Seabee advanced up the rail as Value Proposition angled out into the final turn to launch his bid, while Hall of Famer John Velazquez asked Tell Your Daddy for his best run.

With many rivals lining up at the top of the lane, Flavius never relinquished as the bay ridgling responded to Prat's encouragement and continued to find more en route to a 1 1/2-length score in a final time of 1:41.53.

“I am so appreciative for this horse. Juddmonte are very good clients of mine,” Brown said. “They are very patient with this horse and decided to leave him in training for another year. It took a little time to get him back in form, but I loved his race today. I appreciate Flavien taking the initiative of taking it to them early. This horse switched off nicely down the backside and it seemed when he had his ears up moving comfortably down the backside, so I knew he had a big chance. He ran lights out today. It was an impressive performance.”

By War Front and out of the multiple graded-stakes winning Dynaformer mare Starformer, Flavius launched his career in Ireland with trainer Dermot Weld. He joined Brown's stable in 2019 and captured the Tourist Mile in September at Kentucky Downs in his fourth start for the four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer.

Flavius launched his 6-year-old season with a close fourth in the Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile in March at Santa Anita ahead of his Seek Again effort.

“I didn't see a lot of speed in the race,” Prat said. “I wanted to be in the race and I found myself on the lead. He was traveling super and he kicked on really well. When I rode him in the Kilroe, it was against a good group of horses. I thought everything worked out well today.”

Tell Your Daddy stayed on strong to complete the exacta by 1 1/2-lengths over Value Proposition. Rounding out the order of finish were Dreams of Tomorrow, Delaware, South Bend, Fighting Seabee, and Temple. Midnight Tea Time, Guildsman, and main-track-only entrant Tacitus were scratched.

“He ran real good and gave me everything he could,” Velazquez said of Tell Your Daddy. “We got a good position. The winner was a little bit better than us.”

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Bred in Kentucky by his owner, Flavius banked $66,000 in victory while improving his record to 12-4-3-1. Sent to post as the 6-5 favorite, he paid $4.70 for a $2 win ticket.

“This has a been a horse that we brought over here with expectations that he could move up to the next level, and he's gotten close to this level,” said Garrett O'Rourke, general manager of Juddmonte's American division. “I think today his race was perfect. It's nice to keep horses like this a little bit longer in training and when they reward you, it makes it worthwhile.”

Live racing resumes Sunday at Saratoga with a 10-race card featuring the $120,000 Fasig-Tipton De La Rose, the $200,000 Grade 2 Adirondack, and the $700,000 Grade 3 Saratoga Oaks Invitational. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern.

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