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Grade 1 Winner Got Stormy Takes On Males Again In Poker Stakes

Gary Barber's Got Stormy will once again take on the boys as she looks for the first win of her 2020 campaign in Saturday's Grade 3, $150,000 Poker, a one-mile turf test for older horses on Runhappy Met Mile Day July 4 at Belmont Park.

The Grade 3 Poker is one of five graded stakes on a loaded card headlined by the Grade 1 Runhappy Met Mile, open to 3-year-olds and up, offering a berth in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile; along with the Grade 1, $400,000 Manhattan for 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/4-miles on turf; the Grade 2, $200,000 Suburban, a 1 1/4-mile test on Big Sandy; and the Grade 3, $100,000 Victory Ride, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for sophomore fillies.

Slated as Race 8 at 5:13 p.m. Eastern on Saturday's 11-race card, which offers a first post of 1:15 p.m., the Poker will feature live on NBC from 5 – 6 p.m. Eastern.

In August, Got Stormy, a 5-year-old daughter of Get Stormy, became the first filly to win the Grade 1 Fourstardave, in its 35th running, besting the boys at one mile over a firm inner turf in a track record 1:32 flat at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, Got Stormy would face males in her next two starts finishing second in both the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile, over soft going, and Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita. She completed a stellar season with a win in the Grade 1 Matriarch at Del Mar.

Winless in three starts this season, Got Stormy's best effort came when second by a neck to River Boyne in the Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile on March 7 at Santa Anita. Last out, she ran fourth in the Grade 3 Beaugay when chasing frontrunning winner Rushing Fall off a near three-month layoff on June 3 at Belmont.

“The California race was very good. Her last race was disappointing, but we took her out of her element,” said Casse. ” There was no speed in the race and we tried to keep her closer and that was to her demise. We won't do that again, we'll let her settle.”

Got Stormy scratched out of last Saturday's Grade 1 Just a Game after persistent rainstorms soaked the Belmont green. Casse said he made the call after watching Monkeyseemonkeydo win a seven-furlong turf maiden in 1:24.15.

“After watching them run seven-eighths in 24 and change, I said this turf is not for us,” said Casse. “She didn't get really good until last summer and her best races are on hard ground. I think the soft turf got her beat in the Woodbine Mile and she was just beat by a better horse at the Breeders' Cup.

“We're just trying to find her top form and I believe it has to do with a harder turf course,” added Casse. “She won't get it this weekend at Belmont, but she also likes the sharper turns at Saratoga and Santa Anita because she has a quick turn of foot when you ask her to go.”

Hall of Famer John Velazquez, who piloted Got Stormy to victory in the 2018 Wild Applause at one-mile on the Belmont turf, will be legged up on the talented chestnut for just the second time from post 7.

Four-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown, leading trainer at the Belmont spring/summer meet, will saddle the formidable duo of Grade 1-winner Valid Point and the improving Value Proposition.

Owned by e Five Racing Thoroughbreds and Michael J. Ryan, Valid Point won his first three career starts topped by a one-length score in the Grade 1 Secretariat in August at Arlington Park. The 4-year-old Scat Daddy colt completed his campaign with an off-the-board effort in October in the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland.

Klaravich Stables' Value Proposition, a dark bay son of Dansili, garnered a career-best 100 Beyer Speed Figure last out when capturing an optional-claiming turf mile on June 3 at Belmont Park.

Hall of Famer Javier Castellano will pilot Valid Point from post 2 while Value Proposition will exit post 9 under Irad Ortiz, Jr.

The Elkstone Group's Social Paranoia, trained by Todd Pletcher, offers a consistent record of 14-3-4-5 with purse earnings of $847,210. The 4-year-old Street Boss colt ran second here last year in Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational over 1 ¼-miles on the Widener turf to kick off the Turf Triple series. Social Paranoia was an even fourth in the Saratoga Derby Invitational, second leg of the Turf Triple, before winning the Dueling Grounds Derby at 1 5/16-miles at Kentucky Downs.

Social Paranoia made the grade in his seasonal debut with a rousing last-to-first charge in the Grade 3 Appleton, a one-mile turf test on March 28 at Gulfstream Park. He arrives at the Poker from an off-the-board effort in the Grade 2 Fort Marcy contested over nine furlongs on a Belmont inner turf rated good.

Jose Ortiz has the call aboard Social Paranoia from post 5.

Juddmonte Farms homebred Seismic Wave, trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, captured the English Channel at one-mile on the Widener turf to close out his sophomore season. The Tapit chestnut, who boasts a record of 12-3-2-2, launched a seven-wide rally in his seasonal debut when charging from last-of-13 to finish fourth in the First Defence, a seven-furlong Widener turf test on June 7 at Belmont.

Joel Rosario retains the mount from post 4.

Rounding out the field are Dream Friend [Jose Lezcano, post 1], Hawkish [Manny Franco, post 3], Eons [Kendrick Carmouche, post 6], and main-track only entrant Its All Relevant [Romero Maragh, post 8].

America's Day at the Races, produced by NYRA in partnership with FOX Sports, and airing live on Fox Sports and MSG+ will offer live coverage of Belmont Park stakes action on Saturday from 1 – 5 p.m. and from 6 – 7 p.m. on FS1. Free Equibase-provided past performances are available for races that are part of the America's Day at the Races broadcast and can be accessed at https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

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‘Our Only Chance To Bring A Level Playing Field To Racing’: Hall Of Famer Mark Casse Joins WHOA

Mark E. Casse, one of the newest members of the National Museum of Racings Hall of Fame has joined the Water Hay Oats Alliance (WHOA). Successful in both the United States and Canada, Casse has won the Sovereign Award for Outstanding Trainer in Canada a record 12 times and was inducted into the Canadian Racing Hall of Fame in 2016.

Mr. Casse remarked in his statement to WHOA, “After much thought, I have decided to join the WHOA. I continue to be frustrated by the lack of uniformity in our industry, and I know that WHOA is a big supporter of the Horseracing Integrity Act, as am I. It is my belief that it is our only chance to bring a level playing field to racing.”

Even in these uncertain times, WHOA continues to lobby for the Horseracing Integrity Act (HR1754/S1820). Support is growing with 253 cosponsors in the House of Representatives and 25 cosponsors in the Senate. The racing industry needs to band together and get behind passage of the bill in the 116th Congress. Support from racing leaders like Mark Casse is imperative to the effort.

Casse has trained Eclipse Award winners Classic Empire, Shamrock Rose, Tepin, and World Approval, as well as Canadian Horse of the Year honorees Catch a Glimpse, Lexie Lou, Sealy Hill, Uncaptured, and Wonder Gadot. He has won a total of seven races in the Canadian Triple Crown series, five Breeders' Cup races, and the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot with Tepin. Casse has trained 18 horses that have won $1 million or more and has been the leading trainer at Woodbine (11 times), Turfway (four times), Keeneland (three times), and Churchill Downs (twice).

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‘Happy Horse’ Sir Winston, Consistent Tacitus Renew Rivalry In Suburban

Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Suburban, a 1 1/4-mile test on Big Sandy, will feature the one-two-three finishers of last year's Grade 1 Belmont Stakes as Sir Winston, Tacitus and Joevia renew their rivalry on Runhappy Met Mile Day at Belmont Park.

The Suburban, a 10-furlong test for 4-year-olds and upward is one of five graded stakes on a loaded card headlined by the Grade 1 Runhappy Met Mile, open to 3-year-olds and up, offering a berth in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile; along with the Grade 1, $400,000 Manhattan for 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/4-miles on turf; the Grade 3, $150,000 Poker, a one-mile turf test for older horses; and the Grade 3, $100,000 Victory Ride, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for sophomore fillies.

Tracy Farmer's Sir Winston, trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, was a 10-1 upset winner of the 2019 Belmont Stakes. The Awesome Again chestnut, out of the Afleet Alex mare La Gran Bailadora, rallied from eighth in the “Test of the Champion” to outkick Tacitus for a one-length win.

Sir Winston made a successful seasonal debut with a 2 ¼-length score in an optional-claiming mile at Aqueduct Racetrack on January 31. After traveling for the Dubai World Cup, which was cancelled amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Sir Winston made his belated return on June 11 on a sloppy Belmont strip in the 1 3/8-mile Flat Out, running second by 5 ¼-lengths to Suburban rival Moretti.

Casse said the Flat Out effort was deceptively good.

“It was a lot to ask of him. There was no speed in the race and the sloppy track probably didn't help us either,” said Casse. “He got a little tired, but he showed gameness to even run second. I think he'll run really well.”

Casse said the colt, who breezed a half-mile in 50.78 seconds on June 26 on Big Sandy, got a lot out of the Flat Out effort and is coming into Saturday's test in good order.

“I think he got a lot out of it,” said Casse regarding the Flat Out. “My biggest concern is that he got too much out of it. He came back and worked well. He's a happy horse and he loves Belmont.”

Joel Rosario, aboard for the Belmont Stakes score, will have the call from post 6.

Juddmonte Farms' homebred Tacitus, a 4-year-old colt by Tapit and out of the Eclipse Award-winning mare Close Hatches, enjoyed a productive sophomore season posting a record of 7-2-3-2 with purse earnings of $1,634,500.

Following Grade 2 wins in the Tampa Bay Derby and Wood Memorial at the Big A for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, Tacitus rallied from 16th in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby en route to being elevated to third. The ultra-consistent Tacitus followed up his Derby effort by completing the exacta in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes and winning both the Grade 2 Jim Dandy and Grade 1 Runhappy Travers at Saratoga. He completed a lengthy campaign with a third in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup in September travelling 1 ¼-miles on Big Sandy.

The Suburban will mark the third start of the season for Tacitus following a fifth in the Group 1 Saudi Cup in February and a fourth in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap on May 2.

Hall of Famer John Velazquez retains the mount from the inside post.

Michael Fazio and Jeff Fazio's Joevia set the pace en route to a strong third in the 2019 Belmont Stakes. Trained by Gregg Sacco, the Shanghai Bobby colt captured the Long Branch at Monmouth Park in a productive 3-year-old campaign.

After winning his seasonal debut in January in an optional-claiming sprint at the Big A, Joevia posted a pair of off-the-board efforts in the Grade 3 Razorback in February at Oaklawn and the Stymie in March at Aqueduct.

Joevia then underwent surgery to correct a breathing issue and was subsequently fourth last out in the Grade 3 Westchester off a three-month layoff.
Joevia will emerge from post 5 under Jose Ortiz.

Repole Stable and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Moretti, trained by Todd Pletcher, secured his first stakes score last out in the Flat Out with a frontrunning performance under Hall of Famer Javier Castellano.

The 4-year-old Medaglia d'Oro colt graduated at second asking at Aqueduct in December 2018 and waited until May to secure his second career score when rallying from off-the-pace in an Oaklawn Park allowance route ahead of his Flat Out coup.

Bred in Kentucky by Thoro-Bred Stables, Moretti is out of the Grade 1-winning Concerto broodmare Rigoletta who also produced Grade 1-winning millionaire Battle of Midway. He was purchased for $900,000 from the 2017 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale

Moretti will emerge from post 8 with Castellano.

Chester and Mary Broman's New York-bred millionaire Mr. Buff will look to start another winning streak. The sizable 6-year-old Friend or Foe gelding enjoyed a three-race win streak from December to February at the Big A with scores in the Alex M. Robb, Jazil and capped by a 20-length romp in the Haynesfield.

Last out, when second in the restricted Commentator at Belmont on June 12, Mr. Buff bobbled at the start of the one-turn mile and chased the early speed of Blewitt, but could not hold off the late charge of Funny Guy.

He will exit post 4 under Junior Alvarado, who previously won the Suburban with Flat Out [2013], Effinex [2015] and last year aboard Preservationist.

Rounding out the field are Parsimony [Kendrick Carmouche, post 2], Forewarned [Manny Franco, post 3] and Just Whistle [Irad Ortiz, Jr., post 7].

Slated as the closing event at 6:51 p.m. Eastern on Saturday's 11-race card, which offers a first post of 1:15 p.m., the Suburban will feature live on America's Day at the Races, produced by NYRA in partnership with FOX Sports, and airing live on Fox Sports and MSG+.

America's Day at the Races will offer live coverage of Belmont Park stakes action from 1 – 5 p.m. and from 6 – 7 p.m. on FS1. NBC will provide live coverage of the Runhappy Met Mile from 5 – 6 p.m. Free Equibase-provided past performances are available for races that are part of the America's Day at the Races broadcast and can be accessed at https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

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Lexington-Based Assistant Trainer Miguel Delgado Killed In Car Accident

Miguel Delgado, an assistant trainer to William Morey based at The Thoroughbred Center in Lexington, Ky., was tragically killed Saturday afternoon in a car accident, according to the Daily Racing Form.

The 53-year-old Delgado had been employed by Morey since 2016, but only recently relocated to Lexington. Prior to working for Morey, Delgado was a long-time employee of retired trainer Julio Canani.

He is survived by his wife, Graciela, and four sons, Miguel Angel, Ricardo, and twins Edgar and Oscar. The latter three work as horsemen in Southern California, while Graciela and Miguel Angel reside in Mexico.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help pay to transport Delgado's body to Mexico for burial and to cover funeral costs.