Boss Sully points to Stormy Liberal Stakes to complete hat trick

ARCADIA, Calif. - Boss Sully may have reached peak form in time to complete a hat trick of stakes wins this year.

On Saturday at Santa Anita, Boss Sully won his second stakes of the year in the $101,000 California Flag Handicap for statebred sprinters, winning by a length.

Trainer Brian Koriner said in advance of the race that Boss Sully had trained in such a manner that a big performance was expected. Boss Sully ran about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course in 1:12.83, earning a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 97.

“He’s a pretty good guy when he tells me he’s ready,” Koriner said. “I wish they were all that easy.”

Koriner said Boss Sully will be pointed to the $100,000 Stormy Liberal Stakes against open company at five furlongs on turf at Del Mar on Nov. 29.

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Boss Sully’s win was a reversal of his last-place finish in the Harvey Pack Stakes for turf sprinters at Saratoga on July 5. Boss Sully did not handle warm weather that weekend and was found to have bled, Koriner said.

“Nothing worked,” Koriner said.

When Boss Sully returned to training at Del Mar, he overcame a quarter crack in advance of a return to racing this fall. Koriner skipped the Grade 2 Eddie D Stakes on the hillside turf course on Sept. 26 in favor of the California Flag Handicap.

“The two more works helped him a lot,” Koriner said of the extra time leading to the California Flag Handicap.

Boss Sully, a 6-year-old gelding by Street Boss, races for the partnership of Rusty Brown, Alan Klein and Phil Lebherz. Boss Sully has won 7 of 19 starts and earned $531,392. Earlier this year, Boss Sully won the Siren Lure Stakes at six furlongs on turf against open company at Santa Anita on May 10.

The California Flag Handicap is named for the winner of the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, who was trained by Koriner.

In the Eddie D, Koriner started Pure Madness, who finished last of seven at 3-1. Pure Madness was found to have lost a shoe, which Koriner speculates happened before the race.

“Coming down the hill, he was pretty awkward,” Koriner said.

Pure Madness, whom Koriner co-owns with Samantha Siegel, may start in the $100,000 The Chosen Vron Stakes for statebreds at seven furlongs at Del Mar on Nov. 7.

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