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‘Stormy’ Forecast Ahead in Fourstardave

The contingent behind MGISW Got Stormy (Get Stormy) has been carefully monitoring the weather this week as the 6-year-old turf specialist prepares for her third appearance in Saratoga's GI Fourstardave H. Possible scattered overnight thunderstorms leading up to Saturday's card could soften the turf more than the fan-favorite mare would prefer.

“For a horse named Got Stormy, she doesn't like much rain,” her recently inducted Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse said. “If the turf gets soft on Saturday, a mile is stretching her distance ability. We'll see what happens, but we're keeping our fingers crossed.”

Got Stormy became the first female in history to win the mile-long Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” Challenge in 2019, besting MGISW Raging Bull (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}), one of the expected favorites in this year's edition of the race, as well as eventual Eclipse champion Uni (GB) (More Than Ready) on the firm turf. Her win in 1:32 flat was a course-record time.

During last year's renewal of the event over a softer course, Got Stormy finished second just over a length behind wire-to-wire victor Halladay (War Front).

“Last year we weren't supposed to get rain and the morning of the race, it stormed,” Casse recalled. “There was a little give in the ground and it probably cost her the race.”

Later last year, a day after finishing fifth in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, Got Stormy sold for $2.75 million at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton November Sale to Spendthrift Farm. Now co-owned by My Racehorse Stable, the chestnut returned this year with a score in the GIII Honey Fox S. followed by a pair of disappointing fifth-place finishes in the GII Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile S. and GI Jackpot Jaipur S.

Her recent absence from the winner's circle is not a big concern for Casse, who believes the mare has blossomed since her return to the Spa last month.

“I see a lot of similarities from last year to this year,” he said. “She struggled a little bit before she got to Saratoga last year and then she ran a great race in the Fourstardave. She gets better in the summer and fall. I think a lot of it has to do with how she loves training here and she tends to blossom at Saratoga.”

He continued, “Tyler Gaffalione worked her [on Aug. 1] and he came back with a big smile and said, 'She's back.' So if Tyler is happy, I'm happy. Looking at the race, one of the things she likes is to have a target. There seems to be a fair amount of speed and it's something she hasn't gotten recently, so it should play out well.”

Raging Bull (inside) worked in company with three-time Grade I winner Domestic Spending (GB) (Kingman {GB}) on Aug. 8. | Sarah Andrew

Got Stormy will face a field of seven other rivals on Saturday.

Raging Bull, the 2019 second-place finisher, made his six-year-old debut at Keeneland this spring with a two-length victory in the GI Maker's Mark Mile S. The three-time Grade I winner and Chad Brown pupil enters Saturday's race following a nail-biting close second to Oleksandra (Aus) (Animal Kingdom) in the GIII Poker S.

“He's still going strong at age six and he's really doing as well as he's ever done,” said Brown, who has yet to win the prestigious Grade I turf contest. “His race at Keeneland was dynamite-one of his best ever. Last time out, he just got in some trouble and was kind of stuck inside. Hopefully he has a better trip this time.”

Fellow Chad Brown-trained, Peter Brant-owned entry Blowout (GB) (Dansili {GB}) looks to get the lead early, but will have to do so from the eight hole. The 5-year-old mare made it to the winner's circle in the GII Churchill Distaff Turf Mile S. in her only start this year.

Brown explained that the speedy Blowout is not in the race to set up Raging Bull.

“She has a little bit of a layoff to overcome, but she's very dangerous if she gets to the front and has things her way,” Brown said. “She should be setting the pace but make no mistake, she's in the race to win. If she can get around there on an easy pace, I'm fine with that. I don't want to get beat by a horse that is loose on the lead either. If someone wins loose on the lead, it's going to be her.”

Other top considerations in the field include Set Piece (GB) (Dansili {GB}), who has gone undefeated in his last three starts at Churchill Downs this year for Brad Cox and was last seen besting a 10-horse field in the GII Wise Dan S. on June 26., as well as Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed), who also enters coming off a win in the GI Jackpot Jaipur S. for trainer Bill Mott.

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Raging Bull Headlines Talented Field Readying For ‘Win And You’re In’ Fourstardave

Peter Brant's Raging Bull will be out for redemption against an all-graded stakes winning field for Saturday's 37th running of the Grade 1, $500,000 Fourstardave for 4-year-olds and upward going one mile over the inner turf at Saratoga Race Course.

Raging Bull, who finished second in 2019 and fifth a year ago, will look to give trainer Chad Brown his first win in the Fourstardave, a “Win And You're In” event offering an automatic entry into the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders' Cup Mile on November 6 at Del Mar.

Four of the last ten editions of the Fourstardave were captured by the subsequent winner of the Breeders' Cup Mile with World Approval [2017], Tourist [2016] and Wise Dan [2012-13] securing the Fourstardave-Breeders' Cup Mile double.

This year's Fourstardave field has won a cumulative 22 graded stakes races, which will see Raging Bull attempt a fourth graded stakes triumph.

Raging Bull, a three-time Grade 1-winner with earnings in excess of $1.5 million, secured his top-flight triumphs over three different ovals. At three, he shipped to Southern California to capture the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar after earning graded stakes triumphs at the Spa in the Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame and the Grade 3 Saranac. The French-bred 6-year-old son of Dark Angel commenced his last two seasons in Grade 1-winning fashion with victories in the Shoemaker Mile in May 2020 at Santa Anita and the Makers' Mark Mile on April 9 at Keeneland.

Raging Bull enters off a troubled second in the Grade 3 Poker on June 20 at Belmont Park, racing in fifth along the rail down the backstretch while four horses battled up front. Lacking racing room in upper stretch, he made an inside rally at the eighth-pole but was unable to catch in-the-clear outside runner Oleksandra, losing by a head.

“I'm hoping he can stay off the inside with a better trip,” Brown said. “His turn of foot seems to be his best characteristic. He's in as good of form as he's ever been in. I love the way he's been training. He's a remarkable horse, very consistent.”

Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. retains the mount from post 1.

Raging Bull will face seven other challengers, including stablemate and fellow Peter Brant color-bearer Blowout, who is one of three accomplished distaffers taking on males in the Fourstardave.

Known for her frontrunning fashion, Blowout was a last-out pacesetting winner of the Grade 2 Distaff Turf Mile on May 1 at Churchill Downs. Never worse than third – and never beaten more than three-quarters of a length in 11 lifetime starts – the daughter of Dansili made her lone Grade 1 start when second beaten a nose to stablemate Viadera in the Grade 1 Matriarch in November at Del Mar.

Both Raging Bull and Blowout were bred by Dayton Investments. Raging Bull is out of the Mr. Greeley mare Rosa Bonheur. Blowout is out of the Group 1-winning Deep Impact mare Beauty Parlour.

Jockey Joel Rosario, a two-time Fourstardave winner, rides Blowout from post 8.

Jim and Susan Hill, who owned 2015 Fourstardave winner Grand Arch, will be represented by four-time Grade 1-placed Daddy Is a Legend, who makes her first start against males for trainer George Weaver.

The 6-year-old daughter of Scat Daddy was a late-closing third in the Grade 1 Longines Just a Game on June 5 at Belmont Park behind the Godolphin-owned Althiqa and Summer Romance who replicated said exacta in the Grade 1 Diana on the Spa's opening weekend.

Also third in the 2019 Just a Game behind Rushing Fall and Beau Recall, Daddy Is a Legend notched Grade 1 black type with runner-up efforts in the Matriarch at Del Mar in 2018 and 2019.

“I think a mile is her best distance,” Weaver said. “We were looking at this race after she ran big in the Just a Game and those two fillies came back and ran well here. If she takes another step forward, we're hoping that Saturday can be her day.”

Daddy Is a Legend made the grade in December 2017, capturing the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante in November 2017 at Del Mar. She won the following year's Grade 3 Lake George at Saratoga.

“She's a very good racehorse. She's talented but the other thing she has that all good racehorses have is the fact that she shows up. She gives what she has,” Weaver said. “Right now, she's doing well, she's happy and she's all business. We're looking forward to running her.”

Jockey Manny Franco rides from post 3.

Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse will send out Got Stormy, who seeks a non-consecutive victory in the Fourstardave. Owned by MyRacehorse Stable and Spendthrift Farm, the outstanding daughter of 2010 Fourstardave winner Get Stormy faced males for the first time off one week's rest in the 2019 Fourstardave, which she won by 2 ½ lengths in a track record 1:32 flat while recording a career best 109 Beyer. A six-time graded stakes winner, Got Stormy boasts the highest bankroll in the field with earnings in excess of $2.1 million.

A victory would make Got Stormy the first dual Fourstardave winner since two-time Horse of the Year and recent Hall of Fame inductee Wise Dan [2012-13].

Breaking from post 6, Got Stormy will be ridden by regular pilot Tyler Gaffalione.

Trainer Brad Cox will carry momentum from recent victories with Grade 2 Jim Dandy winner Essential Quality and Grade 1 Whitney winner Knicks Go when saddling Juddmonte's Set Piece for his Grade 1 debut. The Dansili homebred brings three straight wins to Saturday's engagement. After Churchill Downs stakes victories in the Opening Verse on April 29 and the Douglass Park on May 29, Set Piece defeated graded stakes winners Somelikeithotbrown and Ride a Comet in the Grade 2 Wise Dan on June 26 over the Louisville oval.

“He's a Grade 2 winner and obviously he has a good pedigree that all Juddmonte horses do, and it helps some of the siblings that come up from the broodmare band as well,” Cox said. “He deserves the opportunity to take a swing at a Grade 1 and we'll see what he can do.”

Florent Geroux returns to the saddle from post 5.

Following a victory in the Grade 1 Jackpocket Jaipur on June 5 at Belmont Park going six furlongs, Casa Creed will stretch back out to one mile for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. The 5-year-old Jimmy Creed bay, third in last year's Fourstardave, took the Grade 2 Hall of Fame in August 2019 going one mile over Saratoga's inner turf.

Owned by LRE Racing and JEH Racing, Casa Creed looks to became a fifth Fourstardave winner for Mott, who campaigned Hap [2000], Silver Tree [2007], Seek Again [2014] and Tourist [2016].

Jockey Junior Alvarado will ride from post 4.

Three Diamonds Farm's Field Pass is a four-time graded stakes winner at four different tracks for trainer Mike Maker. The gray or roan son of Lemon Drop Kid won the Grade 3 Baltimore Washington International Cup on July 24 at Pimlico last out. During his sophomore season, he won the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park and the Grade 3 Ontario Derby at Woodbine – both over synthetic surfaces. He also won the Grade 3 Transylvania last July over the Keeneland turf.

Jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr. rides from post 7.

Rounding out the field is Electric City Racing, Madaket Stables, Christopher Dunn and Jeremy Peskoff's Whisper Not, who won the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile two starts back for trainer Richard Baltas.

Jockey Jose Ortiz picks up the mount from post 2.

The prestigious Fourstardave honors the “Sultan of Saratoga” who earned his nickname by winning at least one race at the Spa from 1987-94. Trained by Leo O'Brien and owned by Richard Bomze and Bernard Connaughton, Fourstardave's signature Spa wins included the 1988 Albany Handicap as well as two non-consecutive wins in the West Point [1989 and 1991]. Fourstardave secured two triumphs in his namesake race when run as the Daryl's Joy [1990-91].

The Fourstardave is carded as Race 9 on Saturday's 11-race program at Saratoga Race Course, which also includes the Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special presented by Miller Lite, a 6 ½-furlong sprint for juveniles over the main track. First post is 1:05 p.m. Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the summer meet on FOX Sports. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

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Mother-To-Be Oleksandra Beats The Boys In Poker Stakes

On Father's Day, it was the mother-to-be who brought home the victory for Team Valor International. Oleksandra (AUS), the lone mare in the field of nine, won the one-mile Grade 3 Poker Stakes by a neck over favored Raging Bull in Sunday's feature on the turf at Belmont Park, Elmont, Ny.

In her fourth start of 2021, Oleksandra, who is currently in foal to Into Mischief, broke a step slow from the gate, bumping into favorite Raging Bull, and was last for the first six furlongs of the one-mile Poker. Jockey Joel Rosario did not panic, though, content to let his mount run at the back of the pack and allow the race to develop in front of them. Get Smokin, winner of the Seek Again Stakes in his previous start, took the lead within the first furlong, with Raased and Tell Your Daddy running close behind, and he held onto that advantage until the final turn.

Favorite Raging Bull found himself boxed in for much of the race, but, as the field entered the stretch, he made his move on the rail, just to the inside of Get Smokin. At the back of the field on that last turn, Rosario took Oleksandra to the outside, moving down the center of the course as Raging Bull began to overtake Get Smokin. Raging Bull got to the lead in that last furlong, but Oleksandra moved past him, taking over first place and determinedly holding off Raging Bull to win the G3 Poker by a head. The final time for the mile was 1:32.11.

Behind Oleksandra and Raging Bull came Front Run the Fed, Sanctuary City, Get Smokin, Penalty, Tell Your Daddy, Raased, and Veronesi.

Oleksandra paid $36.80, $7.30, and $5.40. Raging Bull paid $2.60 and $2.10. Front Run the Fed paid $3.00 to show.

Trainer Neil Drysdale was pleased with Oleksandra's career finale. “Things haven't gone exactly smooth this year for her. We ran in Kentucky and realized she doesn't like the soft going. So, then we decided not to run here [in the Jaipur] because it was raining a lot here too at the time. Since she's more relaxed this year, we decided to try her at a mile hoping she could get the distance, and she did. She's pregnant [in foal to Into Mischief], so this was her swan song. She'll go out on a high note.”

Joel Rosario was not deterred by that slow start. “She always comes out of there like that [slow] but then she can be a little aggressive after. She relaxed very nicely. Neil Drysdale is a tremendous trainer.”

Foaled in Australia, Oleksandra is a daughter of 2011 Grade 1 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom out of the Caesour mare Alexandra Rose. Bred by her owner Team Valor, this 6-year-old mare was a $1.45 million RNA at the November 2020 Keeneland Breeding Stock sale. This victory in the G3 Poker Stakes is her first win of 2021 and her eighth career victory in 20 starts for career winnings of $705,748.

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Raging Bull Draws Rail for Poker

Peter Brant's MGISW Raging Bull (Dark Angel {Ire}) looms the one to beat in Sunday's GIII Poker S. at Belmont. The late-running 6-year-old has scored at the highest level a trio of times–in the GI Hollywood Derby in 2018, GI Shoemaker Mile last May and last out in Keeneland's GI Maker's Mark Mile Apr. 9. He was forced to skip a Shoemaker Mile defense due to travel complications. The pace fell apart in the Maker's Mark, and Raging Bull's connections seem to be taking matters into their own hands here to ensure another good set up for Raging Bull here. French import Veronesi (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) makes his first appearance since setting the table for Brant's eventual G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) in the 2019 G2 Prix Niel at Longchamp.

Brown's third chance at a first-ever Poker title is Klaravich Stables's lightly raced Front Run the Fed (Fed Biz), who was most recently a neck second to subsequent GI Jaipur S. upsetter Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed) in the seven-furlong Elusive Quality S. here Apr. 24. Narrow third finisher Value Proposition (GB) (Dansili {GB}), also trained by Brown, returned to take an optional claimer with a 100 Beyer Speed Figure.

Overachiever Get Smokin (Got Stormy) was eighth when part of that hot pace in the Maker's Mark, but he's won three of his last five, including the GII Hill Prince S. in October and GIII Tampa Bay S. in February. He was last seen running off with the Seek Again S. here May 22, two spots ahead of savvy $40,000 claim Tell Your Daddy (Scat Daddy).

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