Stormy’s Majesty Debuts a Winner at Four in Noble Nashua

by Sarah Mace

The eagerly anticipated four-year-old debut of last year’s Grade 3 Discovery Handicap winner Stormy’s Majesty turned out to be everything his connections could have hoped, with the son of Stormy Atlantic resuming his winning ways in the restricted $60,000 Noble Nashua Stakes while toting seven extra pounds over the one-turn mile.

Expectations ran high for Stormy’s Majesty’s return. Undefeated in two starts at two, he had finished off-the-board only twice in nine prior career starts (once when he was in over his head in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy and the second time after a poor trip in the crowded field of last year’s Empire Classic on Showcase Day). In 2010 he won both the Grade 3 Discovery Handicap and the Albany leg of the Big Apple Triple at Saratoga, and in his last start of the year on December 11, ran a close second to More Than a Reason in the Grade 3 Queens County,

Stormy’s Majesty wintered in Florida and, since last seen, became a color-bearer for WellSpring Stables. Although the colt was a possible candidate for this year’s 1 1/8 mile Grade 3 Excelsior on April 2, trainer Dominic Galluscio scrapped “Plan A” after a foot bruise kept Stormy’s Majesty out of training for a week. Plan B was to take more time and pick a shorter distance after the four-plus month vacation. Shipping north after logging several works at Gulfstream, the colt breezed three times at Belmont in preparation for his 2011 debut – the last two a pair bullet works at five and four furlongs. Galluscio sent him out on Friday with confidence. “He’s training very well, we got to get started, this looks like a nice spot,’’ Galluscio said. “He’s run very well fresh. I think he’s even going to get better with racing. I’m looking forward to a big effort.’’

Stormy’s Majesty’s went to the outside post of six (after the scratch of contender Spa City Fever) under regular rider Edgar Prado, while assigned seven pounds more than his competition. He was favored by bettors at .odds of 3-to-5, while stakes-winning Broman homebred Mine Over Matter, drawn in the inside post, was second choice at odds of 3-to-1. Slevin, winner last out of an open first level allowance/optional claiming race, was third choice at 7-to-2, and speedster Johannesburg Smile, also hailing from the Galluscio barn (and coming off a seven-plus month layoff himself), was fourth choice at 9-to-1.

Stormy’s Majesty’s broke on top, but soon ceded the lead to his speedy stablemate, tracking him in the two path, while Mine Over Matter raced a close-up third at the rail. Johannesburg Smile dictated moderate early fractions through the first half-mile (24.23 and 48.40), but things began to pick up through the turn as Six Flings made a brief bid. In the end, though, it was left to the top three to decide the issue.

At the top of the stretch Stormy’s Majesty drew even with Johannesburg Smile and powered past just after the three-sixteenths marker. Mine Over Matter, after swinging out three wide, came on strong into second, but could not overtake Stormy’s Majesty, who crossed the wire with a 1 ¼-length lead. After three-quarters of a mile in 1:11.82, the final time for the one-turn mile over the fast going was 1:36.21.  [VIDEO[2]]

With his third stakes score Stormy’s Majesty improved his record to 6-2-0 from ten career starts, and his share of the Noble Nashua purse boosted his lifetime earnings to $269,732. The win will probably be a springboard to open company competition, perhaps, as Galluscio told the DRF, the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park on May 30.

Stormy’s Majesty is the first foal from Raffie’s Dream, a stakes-placed daughter of New York stallion Raffie’s Majesty, who stands at Sugar Maple Farm[3]. His younger half-brother, three-year-old Dream Drop Kid by Lemon Drop Kid, has placed once from three starts. Raffie’s Dream has a two-year-old colt by Hook and Ladder, had no foal in 2010, and, in January, gave birth to a full sister to Stormy’s Majesty.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2011/04/23/stormys-majesty-noble-nashua/

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