Storm the Court winds up with unexpected company

ARCADIA, Calif. – Storm the Court, the winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in November, was moments from starting a five-furlong solo workout at Santa Anita on Sunday. Trainer Peter Eurton said he was not expecting Storm the Court to work quickly.

“It’s hard to get real serious until you put them in company,” he said.

About 30 seconds later, the workout scenario changed when two horses from a rival stable loomed alongside Storm the Court and jockey Flavien Prat. Storm the Court, running on the inside, finished in company with the other runners in 1:00.60. Eurton timed Storm the Court in a slightly quicker in 1:00.20.

“Not what I was looking for,” Eurton said. “If he had been outside, I would have been fine with that.”

Eurton timed Storm the Court galloping out six furlongs in 1:13.60.

The work continued the build-up to the colt’s scheduled 2020 debut in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita on Feb. 9. Storm the Court has not raced since his win in the BC Juvenile at 1 1/16 miles at 45-1.

Last summer, Storm the Court won his debut in a maiden special weight at 5 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar in August. He was supposed to go seven furlongs in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 1, but Prat was unseated early in the race when Storm the Court and Eight Rings collided. The seven-furlong San Vicente will be Storm the Court’s first start in a sprint since then.

“It’s a perfect distance for a first-time-back 3-year-old,” Eurton said. “It’s home.”

Storm the Court, by Court Vision, has won 2 of 4 starts and earned $1,172,951 for the partnership of ExlineBorder Racing, David Bernsen, Susanna Wilson, and Dan Hudock.

American Theorem, unraced since a second to Eight Rings in the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes on Sept. 27, worked three furlongs in 39.20 seconds on Sunday, his first workout since returning to serious training after a late autumn break.

“I took my time with him,” trainer George Papaprodromou said.

Owned by Kretz Racing, American Theorem was held out of the BC Juvenile after Papaprodromou said in late October that he was not happy with the ridgling’s progress at the time.

Lerner targeting Santa Monica

Queen Bee to You won her third consecutive stakes in Saturday’s Grade 3 La Canada Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita and is likely to revert to sprinting for the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes at seven furlongs on Feb. 15.

“That’s probably the plan,” trainer Andrew Lerner said on Sunday. “I think seven-eighths is her best distance. A mile and a sixteenth is probably pushing it.”

Queen Bee to You, who races for Christopher St. Hilaire and Adam Vali, won the Grade 3 Bayakoa Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Los Alamitos last month and the Betty Grable Stakes for California-bred fillies and mares at Del Mar in November.

Lerner was particularly impressed with Queen Bee to You’s 4 1/2-length win in the seven-furlong Betty Grable. “Her best race was the Betty Grable,” he said.

In the La Canada, Queen Bee to You fought through the stretch with Der Lu before taking the lead in the final strides to prevail by a nose in a thrilling finish.

“That was a good old-fashioned horse race,” Lerner said.

Queen Bee to You, a 6-yearold mare by Old Topper, has won 8 of 33 starts and earned $658,770. She is expected to race through 2020 before being bred in 2021.

“This will be her last year,” Lerner said.

EMILY SHIELDS Plans call for Queen Bee to You (right) to return to a sprint distance in her next start.