Breeder Jim Power Reconnects With Storm the Court

When Jim Power arrived in Southern California for the Breeders' Cup, he went straight to the racetrack from the airport—bypassing his hotel in order to visit Storm the Court, the TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) contender he bred and raised.

Back at Peter Eurton's barn, the 2-year-old colt came up to the stall webbing, put his face up to Power's to smell, and let the longtime horseman run his hands over his ears and neck like he did when he was a foal.

Storm the Court might have been overlooked at odds of 45-1 Nov. 1 in the Juvenile at Santa Anita Park, but Power expected a strong performance from the foal he raised in Kentucky under the name of his Stepping Stone Farm. And the bay colt delivered just that, digging in late under Flavien Prat and battling through a prolonged drive to complete a frontend score by a head over runner-up Anneau d'Or.

"(Dennis' Moment) stumbled. We went to the front," Power said. "Everybody underestimated this horse. They let him have an easy lead. We got them. They won't let us do that again."

Power, 71, currently has two mares and two weanlings boarded with Kathie Maybee on Phoenix Farm in Lexington. Power resides in a house on the property, taking care of his own horses, and also has two 2-year-olds training at the Thoroughbred Center in Lexington.

Storm the Court is a third generation breeding for Power. In partnership with LGF Stable, Power bred the Riva Ridge mare Sarah's Hope to Settlement Day, resulting in the filly Sarah's Settlement. Again in partnership with LGF Stable, the stallion Tejano Run was later chosen for Sarah's Settlement and that mating produced My Tejana Storm. Bred solely by Power's Stepping Stone Farm, Storm the Court, by Court Vision , is out of My Tejana Storm.

"He's got guts. That comes from his mother," Power said. "He showed his speed, but everybody underestimated us. They let us out on that front, nice slow fractions. When you run fractions that slow, it's harder to make a move because the horse has still got some energy left. And then he did. (Flavien Prat) rode a hell of a race, every time he's ridden him."

There's not much Power hasn't done. His first job in racing came at Finger Lakes Racetrack, near where he grew up in Victor, N.Y. Before he worked on the track, Power was breaking Welsh ponies at a friend's farm before he was even a teenager. He went on to groom for Spendthrift Farm under trainer Richard Fischer in Florida, later traveling to Kentucky with Fischer. After leaving the racetrack, he worked for Gainesway from 1978-90.

He's also trained, and consigns his own horses. 

Power consigned Storm the Court under his Stepping Stone banner at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale, where Bryan Rice purchased the short yearling for $5,000. The colt went through the auction ring again with Woodside Ranch's consignment to the 2019 Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. Marette Farrell, agent for Exline-Border Racing, purchased him for $60,000.

"He was perfect. He didn't do anything wrong," Power said of Storm the Court as a foal. "You want to talk about a son that was excellent and didn't do anything wrong? He was it."

With the Breeders' Cup win, Storm the Court, campaigned by Exline-Border Racing, David Bernsen, Susanna Wilson, and Dan Hudock, has earned $1,172,951.

But for Power, the thrill of watching the colt compete pales in comparison to the memory of helping My Tejana Storm bring him into the world.

"That baby comes out, you make sure you clean out the nostrils, you get that baby set straight, and shake life into that baby. That's the biggest high there is. That's better than winning a race."