Neptune's Storm Captures Back to Back Stakes in Cinema
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Neptune's Storm wins the Cinema Stakes at Santa Anita Park
Cybertec International, Saul Gevertz, Lynn Gitomer, Mike Goetz, Michael Nentwig, and Daniel Weiner's Neptune's Storm captured his second consecutive stakes win at Santa Anita Park June 2 when he held off the competition in the $150,000 Cinema Stakes for 3-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles on the turf.
The Stormy Atlantic gelding stalked pacesetter King of Speed through fractions of :25.12, :49.53, and 1:12.77. The two pulled ahead down the backstretch to leave More Ice two lengths behind, followed by Parsimony and 6-5 favorite Gregorian Chant.
King of Speed, who won a pair of turf stakes last fall, was put to the test as Drayden Van Dyke urged Neptune's Storm to the lead. Gregorian Chant rushed from last into third but lacked the kick to carry on. Parsimony made a late move in the stretch, but Neptune's Storm put away the challenge and finished in 1:48.65 on firm going.
"Yes, we got away with some soft fractions and that helped," Van Dyke said. "I learned from riding him last time and then working him in the mornings that when horses come to him on his outside, he'll re-engage and fight back. On the gallop out today, horses came to him and he took off. He should like more distance."
A length back, Parsimony settled for second over King of Speed, Gregorian Chant, and More Ice.
Following the Cinema, trainer Richard Baltas leads the current meet with five stakes wins.
"On paper, there wasn't a whole of speed and this horse has natural speed," Baltas said. "He can carry his speed and he's a good horse. The thing about him is he'll rate. He doesn't have to have the lead ... but he came home fast. I didn't have to tell Drayden anything. He rode the horse last time. I just told him to have him up close."
Neptune's Storm won the April 28 Singletary Stakes at a mile on the turf before the Cinema. That victory sent him off at 3-2 Sunday, when he paid $5, $3, and $2.40. The Cinema victory gave him a record of 4-1-2 in nine starts with $249,585 in earnings.
Neptune's Storm passed through the auction ring three times, first as a weanling at the 2016 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale consigned by Sheltowee Sales. War Horse Place purchased him for $50,000, then pinhooked him for $70,000 at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where Bradley Thoroughbreds signed the ticket as agent. Neptune's Storm was last sent to the 2018 Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, where he was consigned by Eddie Woods. Cybertech International and Weiner paid $130,000 for their charge at the sale.
"Billy and Luis Morey bought the horse as a 2-year-old in training," Nentwig said. "I actually got in with the group a little bit later but the horse has been very straight forward for them and as the distances have gotten greater he seems to be getting better himself. Ritchie is pushing to go a little further. There is this mile-and-a-quarter race in Belmont (the grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes July 6) for some big money coming up and we may want to take a shot at it."
Tracy Farmer bred Neptune's Storm in Kentucky. He is the first foal out of the unraced Iffraaj mare Immortal Life, who foaled a More Than Ready colt in February.