Chelsea Durand Photo

Thundering Sky earns first career turf win in strong Pebbles showing

by Brian Bohl

Thundering Sky overtook Believe in Bertie in midstretch to post her first stakes victory in Saturday's $200,000 Pebbles for 3-year-old fillies on the Widener turf at Belmont Park.

The Matthew Schera-owned Thundering Sky registered first career turf win in completing the one-mile course in 1:33.47. Trained by George Weaver, the daughter of Sky Mesa stayed off pacesetter Believe in Bertie's fractions of 22.45 seconds for a quarter-mile, 45.20 for a half and 1:08.91 for six furlongs before jockey Antonio Gallardo coaxed her four-wide coming out of the turn and took command in the final furlong.

Thundering Sky outkicked a hard-charging Mom's On Strike just before the wire to win by three-quarters of a length on the firm course, notching her first win in five career stakes starts on the grass. She finished in the money for the fifth time in her last seven starts.

"I had a really good trip," Gallardo said. "I knew this filly was doing good. The trainer told me that she was doing really good, and after watching a replay of her last race, I knew she would run at the end and I could relax her a little bit. She gave me everything at the end, and she kicked on really good. The race set up perfectly for me."

Off at 15-1, Thundering Sky paid $33.80 on a $2 win wager and more than doubled her career earnings in bringing the total to $250,390.  

"He rode her perfect," said Blair Golen, assistant to Weaver. "She's a nice filly and it worked out for her today. They all kind of broke a tick slow and then once I saw the 2 [Believe in Bertie] send, I knew we were perfect. She's a very good horse, she's very good in the bridle, she's very nice to ride and, outside of actually putting the saddle on her, she's very nice to be around. She gets a little kicky and feisty [being saddled], that's all."

Mom's On Strike, who drew in from the also-eligible list and went off at 51-1, was the runner-up in placing in a stakes for the first time in three career starts for trainer Joe Sharp.

Ancient Secret, the favorite for trainer Chad Brown, finished third.

Believe in Bertie, Stella Rose, She Doesn't Mind, Wild About Harry, Insta Erma, Ultra Breat, Louisville First, Welcoming and Enjoy Yourself completed the order of finish.

Baciami Piccola was scratched. Mo d'Amour was a main-track only entry.