Stormy Liberal Edges Richard's Boy Again at Del Mar
Image:
Description:
Photo: Benoit Photo
Stormy Liberal (outside) beats stablemate Richard's Boy by a nose in the Green Flash Handicap
The stakes weren't as high as their last meeting at Del Mar, but the result was the same for Stormy Liberal and Richard's Boy Aug. 17.
Just like their stretch run in the 2017 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G2T) the Peter Miller-trained stablemates hit the wire in a photo finish Friday in the $75,000 Green Flash Handicap, and Stormy Liberal found just enough to edge Richard's Boy by a nose and win the five-furlong grass sprint.
Both horses are owned or co-owned by Rockingham Ranch (David Bernsen is an ownership partner on Stormy Liberal, while Rockingham is the sole owner of Richard's Boy), and the final time was :55.66 on fast turf.
The Green Flash was Stormy Liberal's sixth stakes win and third straight score sprinting on the Del Mar grass. Last time out the 6-year-old Stormy Atlantic gelding nosed out fellow Green Flash entrant Tribalist in a July 25 allowance prep at Del Mar. Stormy Liberal also got the best of Richard's Boy when they finished second and sixth, respectively, in the May 31 Al Quoz Sprint Sponsored By Azizi Developments (G1) at Meydan.
After a break from post 2, Stormy Liberal relaxed in mid-pack, while Pee Wee Reese and Rule of King's dueled for the early lead. Richard's Boy showed early speed from the rail, eventually raced just off the early leaders, and got first run in the stretch, but could not hold off his closing rival. Touching Rainbows, the last-out third-place finisher in the Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) on dirt, closed well from the back of the pack to finish third, 1 1/4 lengths behind the top pair.
Pee Wee Reese held fourth and was followed by Right Hand Man, last year's Green Flash winner Tribalist, and The Rule of King's, to complete the order of finish.
Bred in Kentucky by Dapple Bloodstock and Gryphon Investments, out of the Royal Academy mare Vassar, Stormy Liberal now has a 10-8-1 record from 28 starts and more than $1.3 million in earnings.