The Feb. 19 Lost in the Fog Stakes at Golden Gate Fields was expected to be a match-up between graded stakes winner Wellabled and grade 1 winner Mongolian Saturday, but Tribal Storm apparently didn't get the notice, as the 4-year-old ridgling rallied from last for a three-quarter length upset at odds of 20-1.
A California homebred son of Papa Clem, Tribal Storm is out of Curt and Lila Lanning's unraced Tribal Rule mare Tribal Feathers, and trained by Ed Moger Jr.
Tribal Storm was outrun early as 2-5 favorite Wellabled and Jose Valdivia Jr. made all the running in quick fractions of :22.32, :45.01, and :56.79 for five-eighths of a mile. In the stretch, Tribal Storm responded to urging from jockey Irvin Orozco and closed with a rush for the victory in final time of 1:08.71 for six furlongs over the all-weather track.
"Plenty of speed in front benefits him at the end and he proved it again today," said winning jockey Irving Orozco. "We had to find a clear path down the stretch, but we did and he did his thing. He's 100% right now and hopefully we can win some more with him."
The winner paid $42.60 for the win. Wellabled, whose 2-5 favoritism was backed by three stakes wins, including the 2016 Arlington-Washington Futurity (G3), among his five victories, held second, with Anyportinastorm third.
Mongolian Saturday, the 2015 TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) winner, tracked the early pace before fading to finish last in the eight-horse field. His 11-race winless streak stretches back to the 2016 Woodford Stakes Presented by Keeneland Select (G3T).
The victory was the fifth in 13 starts for Tribal Storm, who has five placings to his credit and earnings of $259,084. Last year, Tribal Storm won the Harris Farm Stakes and finished third in the El Camino Real Derby (G3), California Cup Derby, and Echo Eddie Stakes.
