Got Stormy Thunders to Lead in Penn Oaks
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Photo: B & D Photography
Got Stormy (inside) fights for victory in the Penn Oaks at Penn National Race Course
Rallying in the stretch with a determined drive, Gary Barber's Got Stormy edged past her competition June 2 to win the $200,000 Penn Oaks at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course.
The one-mile turf test for 3-year-old fillies drew a competitive field of seven, headlined by multiple graded stakes winner Thewayiam, who had back-to-back grade 3 wins at Gulfstream Park among her three stakes scores this season.
Got Stormy, with jockey Tyler Gaffalione up, settled quickly out of the gate from post 2. She was fourth behind Classy Dancer, who held the lead on the rail while battling against early challenger Raucous through a quarter-mile in :23.03.
Moving up to challenge in the backstretch, Treasuring took the lead through a half-mile in :46.96 as Classy Dancer weakened. Got Stormy held steady in fourth around the far turn before angling out at the top of the lane to take command at the seven-furlong mark.
With a final push, Thewayiam kicked into high gear on the outside in an effort to pass Got Stormy, but she was unable to edge ahead at the finish, and was beaten a neck in a final time of 1:34.76.
"We had an inside-out trip," Gaffalione said. "We saved ground around the first turn and started working our way out around the backside. She likes a free run, so I just wanted to make sure there was nothing in her way when it came time to go. She just keeps getting better and better. She's a really strong miler. ... In all honesty, I was waiting on (Thewayiam) to come, and I saw her coming late, but the wire was there and we were fortunate enough to get there first."
Goodthingstaketime took third, followed by Treasuring, Classy Dancer, Stormologist, and Raucous.
"What a spectacular ride by Tyler," trainer Mark Casse said. "This filly, she's a nice filly. She's gutsy."
Bred in Kentucky by Mt. Joy Stables, Pope McLean, Marc McLean, and Pope McLean Jr., Got Stormy was purchased by Alan Quartucci for $45,000 from the Niall Brennan Stables consignment at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale of 2-year-olds in training. She improved to 2-0-2 in six career starts with earnings of $166,925.
As Penn National's biggest racing day of the year, the Penn Oaks was one of six stakes featured on the undercard for the $500,000 Penn Mile Stakes (G2T). There were two Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship Series races: the $200,000 Pennsylvania Governor's Cup Stakes—won my Mary E. Eppler Racing Stable's Oak Bluffs—and the $100,000 Penn Ladies Dash Stakes, which went to 4-5 favorite Morticia.