El Tormenta edges Got Stormy in Woodbine Mile upset

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Sam-Son Farm’s El Tormenta finally got some racing luck in Saturday’s Woodbine Mile, and the late bloomer put it all together for a 44-1 upset in the Grade 1 event, with a jubilant Eurico Da Silva riding for trainer Gail Cox.

A three-way front-end battle between Silent Poet, Awesometank, and Admiralty Pier took place down the backstretch through fast fractions, as El Tormenta had an ideal stalking trip along the inside.

The favored Got Stormy made a wide bid to the lead early in the stretch, as Da Silva angled El Tormenta into the four path for the drive.

El Tormenta made his way back the rail in the final furlong, as Got Stormy drifted inward, and he dug in to prevail by a half-length in a time of 1:32.60 over a course labeled as good. His win payoff of $91.40 was the highest in the race’s 23-year history.

Lucullan began slowly before ending up third, and was subsequently demoted to fourth behind Raging Bull for interference in deep stretch. Synchrony finished fifth behind Raging Bull in the 11-horse field.

“My trip was just perfect,” Da Silva said. “He was very focused. When we turned home, I had lots of horse. When the room came, we just took off from there. He gave everything he could.”

The win gave Da Silva a victory in each of Woodbine’s four biggest races, to go along with the Grade 1 Canadian International, the Woodbine Oaks, and the Queen’s Plate, which he won twice. The 44-year-old Brazilian native recently announced his retirement at the end of the meet.

“I’ve been a jockey for 30 years,” Da Silva said. “Now, it’s time for me to be a father and a husband.”

After winning the Grade 3 Connaught Cup here June 1, El Tormenta had a troubled run in three consecutive races, most recently when fourth in the Grade 2 Play the King.

“I thought he was really overlooked with the odds,” said Cox, who was winning the biggest race of her career. “I think if anyone had watched the last three races, he had such troubled trips. He’s really a nice horse, and I think he deserved more respect.”

Cox said the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita Nov. 2 will be under consideration for the 4-year-old Stormy Atlantic gelding, who earned a fees-paid berth in the race along with $720,000 of the $1,121,200 Woodbine Mile purse.

“We’ll get him back to the barn, and see how he is, and everybody will talk about it,” Cox said.