Folks in the South enjoy when a good Storm rolls in. The air cools down and the humidity vanishes. That time leading up to the deluge can be really nice as the wind blows through your hair (if you have hair that is !) and you sit on the back patio waiting on the soothing sensations of a good rain. Fans of Kentucky Downs are in a similar spot right now, only it’s a bit of a different kind of Storm.
Got Stormy is one of those spectacularly special runners in the Thoroughbred racing game. A huge heart and a ton of talent means she has a chance to win any race, at any track, any time she enters the starting gate, regardless of the opposition. Trained by Mark Casse, this now six year old daughter of Get Stormy has recorded 12 lifetime wins at 7 different tracks in 30 starts.
People on the patio around Franklin, Kentucky are now getting giddy as Got Stormy is expected to roll into Kentucky Downs on September 11 for her next start. The Turf Sprint, which is a Breeders’ Cup win and you are in race, is the target for this Betty Grable of the grass.
Those scoring at home realize the Turf Sprint is a race for males, but this Casse trained phenom has proven in the past gender matters not when it comes to running fast. Her last start at Saratoga in the grade 1 Fourstardave on August 14 saw her best the boys in one of the most amazing performances of a glistening career.
Entering the starting gates at odds of 12-1 that day, this granddaughter of Malabar Gold was dismissed as an afterthought. Despite a win in the same race in 2019, her backers at the window were limited. But when the gates opened Stormy struck. Stalking the early pace under jockey Tyler Gafflione, she bided her time in the one mile journey. At the top of the stretch, the wind picked up and the clouds rolled in. Displaying that amazing turn of foot that has made her a poster girl, Got Stormy bolted to the front like a lightning flash and never looked back. Winning by a widening three lengths in legendary fashion, she proved once again what some already know.
When Got Stormy blows into the European style track nestled just north of the Tennessee state line, it will not be the first time she has rained on this grass. Just last year, Stormy soaked Kentucky Downs with a scintillating score in the Ladies Sprint Stakes.
For now, the anticipation of Got Stormy clouding Kentucky Downs has excitement in the air. With 20 finishes in the top 3 and over $2.3 million in career earnings, it’s a good bet most will be like her caring conditioner, never disappointed.
“It truly is an honor and a privilege to train a horse like her”, says Casse. “We love Kentucky Downs and she is an amazing mare.”
