Stormy Liberal, Richard's Boy Headline Green Flash

If you ask Brian Trump about Rockingham Ranch's top sprinter, one is immediately going to have a problem—namely that the operation's racing manager will need clarification as to exactly which horse you are referring to.

There is reigning divisional champion Roy H gearing up for an attempted title defense in this year's TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), a race where his biggest challenger may just be the brilliant fellow Rockingham colorbearer X Y Jet. Then there is the turf duo of Stormy Liberal and Richard's Boy, the 1-2 finishers in last November's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) who have traveled the globe this season in preparation for what their connections hope is a replay of that year-end sweep this fall at Churchill Downs.

If there is a downside to having such prodigious runners, it is the challenge of trying to keep them apart until the big stage demands they gather. The benefit when that situation can't be avoided is that an otherwise routine card can get a substantial boost.

With both Stormy Liberal and Richard's Boy entered in its field of eight, the $75,000 Green Flash Handicap at Del Mar Aug. 17 figures to do a grade 1-level impersonation. The pair of Peter Miller trainees are the standouts in the five-furlong grass sprint that also features graded stakes winner Pee Wee Reese and the ultra-steady black-type winner Tribalist, beaten just a neck in last year's Eddie D. Stakes (G3T).

The last time Stormy Liberal and Richard's Boy got together over the Del Mar course, they brought the local house down when they combined to stun their rivals in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at odds of 30-1 and 13-1, respectively. Since that run, Stormy Liberal has made a couple international ventures, finishing 11th in the Longines Hong Kong Sprint (G1) last December and second in the Al Quoz Sprint Sponsored By Azizi Developments (G1) at Meydan Race Course March 31, and recently snapped a four-race skid when he defeated Tribalist by a nose in a salty five-furlong allowance race at Del Mar July 25.

Richard's Boy also travel to Dubai with his barn mate, finishing sixth in the Al Quoz Sprint, and has been freshened since that outing. The 6-year-old Idiot Proof gelding hasn't visited the winner's circle since taking the listed Jim McKay Turf Sprint Stakes in May 2017 but considering he has made 17 starts since running second in the August 2016 edition of the Green Flash Handicap, the time off may be just what the gray veteran needs to regain his best form.

"There are definitely some quality horses in this field but I feel confident in both of our horses. They training very well," Trump said.

"Richard's Boy had some much needed time off and this will be his first race back. He looks absolutely amazing. He went through a long spree where he was basically running every month for almost a year, so I think he just needed some time. He put on some weight, and he looks very healthy.

"Stormy had a phenomenal work last week; he looked great coming off that allowance win. Between the two of them we feel pretty confident."

Anytime Stormy Liberal shows up before his home crowd, the 6-year-old Stormy Atlantic  gelding delivers a performance worthy of praise. The bay runner hasn't finished worse than second in his last 10 starts in the state of California and after finishing sixth in the June 9 Jaipur Invitational Stakes (G2T) at Belmont Park, his recent triumph cemented that off-the-board outing as an aberration.

"His race in the Jaipur ... he drew the rail, and he got stuck behind some traffic. He got buried in there and never really got to stretch his legs," Trump said of Stormy Liberal, whom Rockingham Ranch co-owns in partnership with David Bernsen. "So as much as it was a disappointing finish, we knew it wasn't anything as far as injury or as far as him being tired. He just never got to stretch his legs out. But he came back strong and I think you'll see another strong performance out of him this weekend."

Stormy Liberal has won nine of 27 career starts with earnings of $1,261,770 while Richard's Boy has nine victories from 31 starts and a bankroll of $892,835.

"Definitely (the Breeders' Cup Turf Spring) is the endgame for both again this year," Trump said. "It's really just this race here and then probably one more prep and they should be good to go."

The Phil D'Amato trained Pee Wee Reese will be making his third start of 2018 in Friday's Green Flash. The 5-year-old son of Tribal Rule opened his campaign with a win over Richard's Boy and Tribalist in the Jan. 1 listed Joe Hernandez Stakes but ran seventh when he returned in the July 28 California Dreamin' Stakes at Del Mar.

D'Amato is also set to saddle Touching Rainbows, third last time out in the Bing Crosby Stakes (G1).