Neptune's Storm Rolls Into La Jolla Handicap

With victories in his past four two-turn turf starts, including back-to-back stakes this spring at Santa Anita Park, Neptune's Storm brings plenty of momentum into his graded stakes debut in the $150,000 La Jolla Handicap (G3T) Aug. 4 at Del Mar.

Campaigned by CYBT, Saul Gervertz, Lynn Gitomer, Mike Goetz, Michael Nentwig, and Daniel Weiner, Neptune's Storm drew the inside post of eight 3-year-olds expected for Sunday's 1 1/16-mile turf test. A son of Stormy Atlantic, Neptune's Storm is the 124-pound highweight.

Trained by Richard Baltas, Neptune's Storm will be making his first start since a clear victory in the Cinema Stakes June 2 at Santa Anita. The victory, in which he challenged for the lead early, followed a score in the April 28 Singletary Stakes. 

Jockey Drayden Van Dkye was aboard for both of those stakes wins, and he returns Sunday in what will be Neptune's Storm's first start on the Del Mar turf. Neptune's Storm made his first two starts in August 2018 sprinting in maiden races on Del Mar's main track, finishing seventh then third.

The field also includes Hronis Racing's Jasikan, who makes his second start at the meet after winning the Runhappy Oceanside Stakes by a nose July 17 on the turf.

Entries: La Jolla H. (G3T)

Del Mar, Sunday, August 04, 2019, Race 7

• Grade IIIT
• 1 1/16m
• Turf
• $150,000
• 3 yo
• 5:17 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Neptune's Storm (KY)	Drayden Van Dyke	124	Richard Baltas	2/1
2	2Kingly (KY)	Mario Gutierrez	119	Bob Baffert	6/1
3	3Gregorian Chant (GB)	Norberto Arroyo, Jr.	118	Philip D'Amato	6/1
4	4Golden Birthday (CA)	Joseph Talamo	116	James M. Cassidy	12/1
5	5Stubbins (KY)	Rafael Bejarano	119	Doug F. O'Neill	4/1
6	6Jasikan (IRE)	Flavien Prat	122	John W. Sadler	5/2
7	7King of Speed (KY)	Victor Espinoza	119	Jeff Bonde	20/1
8	8Rijeka (IRE)	Ruben Fuentes	118	Richard Baltas	12/1