Storm the Court Retired, to Enter Stud in California

Champion, millionaire, and grade 1 winner Storm the Court  has been retired and will enter stud next year at Eclipse Thoroughbred Training and Sports Therapy in California's Santa Ynez Valley, the farm confirmed Nov. 27.

First reported by Daily Racing Form, the 7-year-old son of Court Vision  retires from a six-year campaign with a 2-4-7 record from 30 starts and earnings of $1,426,503.

Eclipse Thoroughbred Farm bought a controlling interest in the young stallion, and his previous owners SAF Racing, David Bernsen, Susanna Wilson, and Dan Hudock all stayed in as partners, according to Mike Scully, who owns the farm with his wife Angie. The farm is the former site of the Wygod family's River Edge Farm.

Storm the Court made his biggest impact at 2 when he won the 2019 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) in commanding gate-to-wire fashion at odds of 45-1 and delivered a Juvenile record payout of $93.80 that still stands. Raced initially by Exline-Border Racing, Bernsen, Wilson, and Hudock with trainer Peter Eurton, Storm the Court also ran third in the American Pharoah Stakes (G1) prior to the Breeders' Cup World Championships and was honored as 2019's champion 2-year-old colt.

In subsequent years, Storm the Court did not win another stakes but he placed in four graded stakes at 3, finishing second in the Mathis Brothers Mile Stakes (G2T) and La Jolla Handicap (G3T) and third in the San Felipe Stakes (G2) and Ohio Derby (G3).

Scully said Storm the Court's stakes record on both dirt and turf will make him particularly attractive to California breeders.

"That is most important," he said. "Our Irish stallion (Henry Adams) also has both surfaces in his pedigree, and I think breeders really value that versatility.

"Storm the Court has not done much since he was juvenile champion, but he has been in the money in several graded stakes so the ability is there," Scully continued. "He is a good-looking horse physically and will match well with California mares."

Bloodstock agent Marette Farrell picked Storm the Court out of the 2019 Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale and Exline-Border Racing bought him for $60,000 out of the Woodside Ranch consignment. He is Court Vision 's only grade 1 winner so far and the only stakes winner produced by My Tejana Storm, a winning daughter of Tejano Run.

My Tejana Storm is among seven winners produced by her dam Sarah's Settlement, a daughter of Settlement Day, who was a grade 3-placed winning son of Buckpasser and a homebred for Phipps Stable. Sarah's Settlement is a full sister to stakes-placed winner A Taste of Wine.

Storm the Court followed the lead of Court Vision by delivering dual-surface black-type performances. Court Vision (by Gulch) won the 2007 Remsen Stakes (G2) and Iroquois Stakes (G3) on the dirt at 2, and then won five grade 1 stakes on turf: 2008 Hollywood Derby (G1T), 2009 Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes (G1T), 2010 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap (G1T), 2010 Woodbine Mile Stakes (G1T), and the 2011 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T).

Storm the Court will stand next year for an introductory fee of $2,000.