Stormello, a grade I winner at 2, has been retired from racing and will enter stud at Dr. Tom Simon's Vinery near Lexington. Vinery acquired a significant interest in the 3-year-old son of Stormy Atlantic and has priced him at a $15,000 fee.
Campaigned as a homebred by trainer William L. Currin and Alvin Eisman, Stormello captured the Hollywood Futurity (gr. I) and the Norfolk Breeders' Cup Stakes (gr. II) and placed in the Del Mar Futurity (gr. II) and Best Pal Stakes (gr. II) at 2. On the Experimental Free Handicap for males, he was weighted at 121 pounds.
This year, Stormello ran second, beaten a nose in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. II), and then was fourth in the Florida Derby (gr. I). He later was stakes-placed again, in the Woody Stephens Stakes (gr. II). He retired with three wins and four placings from 11 races and earnings of $700,100.
Stormello is the first foal from the Carson City mare Wilshewed, a half-sister to four stakes winners. Currin and Eisman will remain owners in Stormello.
Vinery boosted the fee of leading first-crop sire Posse to $30,000 from $12,500 and the fee of More Than Ready to $60,000 from $40,000. Posse is just the second freshman sire in history to be represented by a record seven stakes winners from his first crop of foals. Johannesburg, in 2006, was the first.
Vinery’s 2008 stud fees are as follows:
In Kentucky:
Brahms
Danzig – Queena
$8,500
Gilded Time
Timeless Moment – Gilded Lilly
$10,000
Limehouse
Grand Slam– Dixieland Blues
$15,000
More Than Ready
Southern Halo – Woodman’s Girl
$60,000
Posse
Silver Deputy – Raska
$30,000
Pure Prize
Storm Cat– Heavenly Prize
$12,500
Purge
Pulpit – Copelan’s Bid Gal
$20,000
Silver Train
Old Trieste – Ridden in Thestars
$25,000
Stormello
Stormy Atlantic – Wilshewed
$15,000
The Cliff's Edge
Gulch– Zigember
$10,000
Yonaguska
Cherokee Run– Marital Spook
$10,000
In Florida:
Alke
Grand Slam – Pasampsi
$4,000
Congrats
A.P. Indy– Praise
$12,500
D'wildcat
Forest Wildcat– D’Enough
$6,500
Fire Slam
Grand Slam – Miss Firefly
$4,000
Peace Rules
Jules – Hold to Fashion
$12,500
Pomeroy
Boundary – Questress
$10,000
Repent
Louis Quatorze – Baby Grace
$5,000
Trust N Luck
Montbrook – Bold Burst
$3,500
