Odds-on favorite Get Stormy took over turning for home and inched clear of pacesetter National Kid to win the $200,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap (gr. IIT) (VIDEO) by 2 3/4 lengths Aug. 27 at Saratoga.
Like Justenuffhumor did a year ago, Get Stormy captured both the Fourstardave Handicap (gr. IIT) and the Bernard Baruch at the Spa meet. The 4-year-old son of Stormy Atlantic won for the seventh time in his last eight starts, including his fourth graded stakes.
The Tom Bush-trained colt was ridden to victory by Javier Castellano and ran 1 1/8 miles over a firm inner turf course in a sparkling 1:46.70 to earn $120,000 for owner-breeder Mary Sullivan. He upped his career earnings to $555,961 from 16 starts.
Though he has gone wire-to-wire in many of his wins, Get Stormy pressed the pace set by National Kid and Julien Leparoux. The opening fractions were :23.81, :47.23, and 1:10.90. Get Stormy inched closer to his rival nearing the quarter pole and took over with a furlong remaining. He pulled clear in mid-stretch.
National Kid hung on for second, a length in front of Radical Sabbatical.
Get Stormy won the Aug. 1 Fourstardave by 1 1/4 lengths under Castellano. Earlier this year the colt also won the Elkwood Stakes at Monmouth Park. He closed out his 3-year-old season with victories in the Bryan Station (gr. IIIT) and Commonwealth Turf (gr. IIIT).
“This horse is running fractions like he has never run in his life,” Bush said. “He’s obviously taken a step forward. I left it up to Javier, but I’m pretty sure the other horse (National Kid) was faster. Javier did the right thing; he kept the hedge going through the first two turns, then he stepped him outside a little bit. He rode absolutely exceptionally. This horse showed last year that he could definitely sit if he had to, and he certainly did that today.”
The winner was bred in Kentucky and is out of the Kiri’s Clown mare Foolish Gal.
Get Stormy paid $3.90, $3, and $2.30. National Kid returned $5.80 and $4.30, and Radical Sabbatical paid $4.80 to show.