NYRA/Coglianese Photo

Got Stormy reigns in Fasig-Tipton De La Rose

by Keith McCalmont

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Gary Barber and Southern Equine Stable’s Got Stormy sat a patient trip under Tyler Gaffalione and surged clear to a four-length score in Saturday’s $100,000 Fasig-Tipton De La Rose at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Mark Casse, Got Stormy was sent to post as the 2-1 mutuel favorite in the one-mile trip over the inner turf for fillies and mares 4-years-old and upward yet to win a graded race this year.

Divine Miss Grey set the early pace marking the opening quarter-mile in 23.75 seconds on the firm inner turf as Desert Isle and Rock my Love tracked her early foot. Desert Isle, under an aggressive ride from Junior Alvarado, was sent to the front, recording the half in 46.93 as Got Stormy waited patiently in fourth position.

Desert Isle held a precarious lead turning for home as Got Stormy, full of run, angled four wide and blew by the field for a facile score in a final time of 1:33.15. Capla Temptress rallied from last of six to complete the exacta, a nose in front of Stella di Camelot.

Rounding out the order of finish were Desert Isle and Rock my Love. Divine Miss Grey was pulled up in the stretch run and vanned off.

The victory marked the second stakes win on the card for Gaffalione, after capturing the Grade 3 Troy with Leinster. The veteran rider, enjoying his first full meet at Saratoga, said he felt confident throughout.

“She had been working lights out. I’ve really been looking forward to her getting back to the races and she showed exactly why,” said Gaffalione. “She’s a nice filly who has a ton of talent and she seems to get better this year. I tapped her on the shoulder once and she exploded, so I just wrapped back up on her. I had plenty of horse left but that’s as easy as it gets. To be honest, I don’t know if it’s this filly or if I just had a lot of confidence today, but I knew at any point around the track I was going to win. She was ready for a big race.”

Casse said he will consider a pair of Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In challenge races against the boys for Got Stormy’s next start - the Fourstardave set for August 10 at Saratoga, or the Woodbine Mile on September 14.

“Gary [Barber] called and said, ‘What about the Fourstardave?’,” said Casse. “We may go to Woodbine and run her a mile in the Woodbine Mile. She has already run once there and ran really well. I’m hoping she’s our next Tepin.”

Bred in Kentucky by Mt. Joy Stables, Pope McLean, Marc McLean & Pope McLean Jr., the 4-year-old Get Stormy chestnut banked $55,000 in victory while improving her record to 6-1-3 from 14 starts. She paid $6.40 for a $2 win ticket.