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Got Stormy Takes Matriarch Stakes

Author: Clint Goodman
Published: Monday December 02, 2019
Gary Barber's Got Stormy took the Dec. 1 $302,106 Matriarch Stakes (G1T) at Del Mar with a late run. She normally runs against boys, but she left them to face off against other girls in the race. 

Barber spoke about the impressive horse after the race.

"It was a grade 1 on the turf, and in the last three or four races, she's run against the boys, so I said, 'Why don't we try her against the girls again and see how she stacks up?'" Barber said. "It's another grade 1 to put on her résumé. The rest is history." 

Got Stormy was sent out under regular jockey Tyler Gaffalione, and the 4-year-old filly broke late in the field, which included 11 fillies and mares. Daddy Is a Legend, with rider Manuel Franco, was sent to the back of the field after being checked from the break.

Florida-bred mare Painting Corners moved ahead of the field on the rail and kept the lead through fractions of :22.55 and :45.55 through the half-mile. Storm the HIll and Juliet Foxtrot followed just off the rail. 

As they moved into the backstretch, Got Stormy gave chase before being angled out four-wide at the top of the stretch. As she moved past the eight spot, she was able to gain control. At the same time, Daddy Is a Legend split horses off the turn for home, and she tried to push ahead for the lead on the far outside. 

Gaffalione tried to push Got Stormy more, and they kept moving ahead and fended off Daddy Is a Legend to cross three-quarters of a length ahead. The final time for the one-mile turf test was 1:34.24. 

The Rest of the Field

Juliet Foxtrot was able to move up and take third, while Toinette followed in fourth. The rest of the field followed with Storm the Hill, Simply Breathless, Significant Form, Giza Goddess, Muchu Unusual, and Lakerball. The last-place spot was occupied by Painting Corners, who tired in deep stretch and fell back.

Got Stormy finished off the board in eight starts this season, and she came into the race on Sunday after taking two runner-up finishes against males in the Sept. 14 Ricoh Woodbine Mile Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine and the Nov. 2 TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) at Santa Anita Park. 

"I thought she ran a really good race in the Breeders' Cup, but I wanted to give her another opportunity," Barber said. "To win it here at Del Mar, which is one of our favorite tracks — it's a blessing." 

Got Stormy's Year

Got Stormy's best performances this season came in early August. She took back-to-back stakes at Saratoga Race Course. Those came a week apart and were the Fasig-Tipton De La Rose Stakes and Fourstardave Handicap (G1T). The Mark Casse trainee greatly outperformed her male rivals in the Fourstardave, and she crossed the wire 2 1/2 lengths in front. In that race, she set a course record for a mile over turf in 1:32 flat.

"She's really good at a mile," Gafflione said. "We haven't really tested her much further, but she's good at this, so we will stick with it." 

"She's just special," Barber echoed. "When she won a week apart — two stakes races at Saratoga — and broke the track record there, beating the boys in a grade 1 … she's just special." 

Got Stormy was bred in Kentucky by Mt. Joy Stables, Pope McLean, Marc McLean, and Pope McLean Jr. She is out of the Malabar Gold mare Super Phoebe and is a half-sister to stakes-placed Sky Gold. Got Stormy was purchased for $45,000 by Alan Quartucci from Niall Brennan Stables' consignment to the 2017 Fasig-Tipton Midatlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale.

Got Stormy's record improved to 8-3-3 from 18 starts, and her earnings are currently at $1,430,578.