Devil and a half

Trainer Don Von Hemel of Hot Springs said Storm Devil, a 3-year-old Storm Surge gelding, should make his career debut during the middle of the meeting.

Storm Devil is a halfbrother to Now I Know, an Oklahoma-bred daughter of Pure Prize who won 6 of 7 career starts and $461,721 for Von Hemel and Wayne Stockseth.

“He’ll probably never be as good as his half-sister, but we’re going to give him a chance,” Von Hemel said.

Von Hemel said minor issues kept Storm Devil from starting as a 2-year-old, adding he was never close to a race.

“I think he’s got some talent,” Von Hemel said.

Now I Know, also bred by Von Hemel and Stockseth, was retired after emerging from a runner-up finish in last year’s $75,000 Martha Washington Stakes at Oaklawn with a fractured knee.

She was subsequently sold and booked to champion Uncle Mo.

Von Hemel said Now U Know, the dam of Now I Know and Storm Devil, is in foal to Cowboy Cal and booked back to Pure Prize.

Storm Devil is also an Oklahoma-bred.