Get Stormy Holds Off Street Move to Win Commonwealth Turf

Nov 15, 2009 Gary Yunt

Sullimar Stables’ Get Stormy held off a furious late charge from Street Move to win the sixth running of the $112,100 Commonwealth Turf  (Grade III) for 3-year-olds by a nose at Churchill Downs on Sunday.

    Ridden by Javier Castellano, who won his third race on the afternoon, and trained by Tom Bush, Get Stormy took the lead out of the gate with Major Marvel and Florentino (Jpn) in closest pursuit. Get Stormy carved out fractions of :23.57, :47.19 and 1:11.68 over the firm Matt Winn Turf Course.

Turning for home, Get Stormy disposed of his two closest pursuers and opened a daylight advantage. Street Move, ridden by Joe Bravo, was sixth at the top of the stretch and brushed with Grizzled Robert in the upper stretch before accelerating and just failing to catch Get Stormy.
    
    Get Stormy covered the 1 1/16 miles in a stakes-record 1:41.67. The previous mark was held by Inca King, who won in 1:43.17 in 2007.

    In winning for the fourth consecutive time and fifth time in 12 starts, Get Stormy increased his career earnings to $273,586 with Sunday’s $66,027 paycheck. Get Stormy is a Kentucky-bred son of Stormy Atlantic.

    Get Stormy returned $5.80, $4 and $3.40. Street Move paid $6 and $4.80 and finished three lengths ahead of Grizzled Robert, who returned $10 to show under Jesus Castanon in the field of 10.

    Racing resumes Wednesday with a 10-race program that begins at 12:40 p.m.

POST-RACE QUOTES – THE COMMONWEALTH TURF

JAVIER CASTELLANO, jockey of GET STORMY, winner: “I was very happy to be riding today. We had a great post to go straight to the rail and try to harness some of my speed. I don’t want to take anything away from the horse. He was very sharp today and felt great. I tried to make him relax a little today. He got some pretty easy fractions up front. When I asked him to take off for home he responded very well and opened up for me. He is really starting to mature and turn into a nice horse.”

MARY SULLIVAN (Vero Beach, Fla.), owner of GET STORMY, winner: “This is great. This is absolutely just wonderful beyond belief. I was hoping [we’d win the photo] but I wasn’t sure until they put it up. It was so close. What a great race. He’s moved up a lot and now he’s going to have a rest until his 4-year-old year. He’s done well enough to go home and take it easy for awhile.”

JOE BRAVO, jockey of STREET MOVE, runner-up: “If it was a mile and a sixteenth and a jump he gets all of it today. Just give all the credit to Kiaran (McLaughlin) for bringing this one around. He is really starting to develop and become a great horse.”

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