Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Got Stormy ready to rock; Casse has an eye to the sky
Got Stormy is ready to run. Moreover, she needs a win. Saturday’s $75,000 Powder Break Stakes at Gulfstream Park looks like it could provide Got Stormy the opportunity to accomplish both.
Weather permitting.
Got Stormy prefers firm turf. A tropical system off the east coast of Florida could bring an undetermined amount of rain to the area Friday and Saturday. Mark Casse, the trainer of Got Stormy, will monitor the, ahem, potential storm.
“Her best deal is a mile on hard turf,” Casse said Wednesday. “We have no pressure. If the turf has any give in it or if there’s anything we don’t like, we just won’t run.”
Last year, Got Stormy won the Grade 1 Fourstardave against males at Saratoga and the Grade 1 Matriarch at Del Mar. The latter victory came after she finished second to the filly Uni in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.
In two starts this year, Got Stormy finished fourth in the Endeavour Stakes at Tampa and was second, beaten a neck, in the Grade 1 Kilroe against males on March 7 at Santa Anita.
Casse said he may not have had Got Stormy fit enough for the Endeavour, working her primarily on dirt leading up to that race. In the Kilroe, she got beat a neck by River Boyne.
“I thought it was a hell of a race,” Casse said. “We had to ship out there, we’re running on everybody else’s home field, and she was running against colts. She’s a hell of a filly, but she’s going to get beat sometimes.”
Since returning from California, Got Stormy has breezed five times over the turf at Palm Meadows.
“I’ve done all I can do with her as far as training,” Casse said. “As you can see by her works, she’s ready to go.”
With regular rider Tyler Gaffalione at Churchill Downs on Saturday, Luis Saez has picked up the mount.
Got Stormy was one of 10 horses entered in the Powder Break for the turf. Bella Ciao was entered main track only.
Valiance, undefeated in three starts for Todd Pletcher, makes her return to the races off an 11-month layoff. Trainer Chad Brown entered Tapit Today, third in the Grade 3 Suwannee River, and Noor Sahara, a filly who was based with Fabrice Chappet last year in France.
There appears to be ample speed in the race with Silver Kitten, Jakarta, and Valedictorian in the field. Also entered were Goodbye Brockley and Great Sister Diane.
Healthy Green Light Go returns
Grade 2 winner Green Light
Go will make his second start of 2020 when he meets five 3-yearolds in Saturday’s $75,000 Roar Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs.
Green Light Go, winner of the Saratoga Special last summer, ended his 2-year-old campaign with a runner-up finish to Tiz the Law in the Grade 1 Champagne at Belmont. In his lone start this year, he finished third behind Mischevious Alex in the Grade 3 Swale on Feb. 1. Mischevious Alex did come back to win the Grade 3 Gotham at Aqueduct, while Shivaree, second in the Swale, came back to run second in the Florida Derby.
Trainer Jimmy Jerkens said Green Light Go got a little sick following the Swale.
“It took a little while to get him going,” Jerkens said. “He looks like he’s on the engine now.”
Green Light Go has a spirited work tab, including a half-mile move in 47.40 seconds from the gate May 7.
Also entered in the Roar are With Verve, upset winner of the Hutcheson Stakes on Feb. 29 at Gulfstream; Cajun Casanova, winner of the Texas Glitter on turf; Ournationonparade, winner of the Maryland Million Nursery; Double Crown, who beat Ournationonparade in a maiden race at Laurel last September; and Ricki Ticki Taffi, second in the Limehouse Stakes.
Bellera shortens up
Bellera, a multiple stakes winner at 1 1/8 miles, will shorten to seven furlongs for her first start in 3 1/2 months in Saturday’s $100,000 Musical Romance Stakes for Floridabred fillies and mares.
Bellera, a daughter of Bernardini trained by Todd Pletcher, won the Grade 3 Comely last November to end her 3-year-old campaign, then came back to win the Ladies, also at Aqueduct, to kick off her 4-year-old season.
Bellera did begin her career finishing second in a Floridabred maiden race going seven furlongs at Gulfstream Park.
Lady’s Island, trained by Gerald Bennett, has finished first or second in 10 of her last 12 starts, including a second-place finish in this race last year, her only career start at seven furlongs. She won the Grade 3 Sugar Swirl going six furlongs here in December.
Wildwood’s Beauty has finished second in the Grade 2 Inside Information and Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie in her last two starts.
J P’s Delight, who beat Wildwood’s Beauty in a restricted stakes at Tampa in December, Liza Star, Ocean’s of Love, Two Sixty, Starship Bonita, and Picara complete the field.