El Tormenta will run in Highlander or King Edward
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – El Tormenta broke through to win his first graded stakes in the Grade 2 Connaught Cup over seven furlongs on turf June 1 and will make his next start on June 29, Queen’s Plate Day.
El Tormenta has been nominated to both the Grade 1, $300,000 Highlander Stakes over six furlongs and the Grade 2, $175,000 King Edward Stakes over one mile as part of the Queen’s Plate undercard, but trainer Gail Cox said a decision had not yet been made on which race he will enter.
“We’re still going to look them over and talk about it and take it from there,” she said. “We won going seven-eighths and he galloped out strongly, but the setup for it was great that he got to settle behind horses.”
El Tormenta was a pacesetter in most of his races last year. Cox said it appears El Tormenta is more mature this season as a 4-year-old.
“I’ve always really, really liked him and was hoping as he got older that he’d settle a little bit more,” she said. “He’s very nice to train, but when the gate opens, he’s aggressive. It just seems that he has matured a little bit.”
El Tormenta returned to the work tab Saturday with a four-furlong breeze in 47.40 seconds on the dirt training track. Cox said she’s been pleased with the way El Tormenta has come out of the Connaught Cup.
