Eurton mulling options for Storm the Court

ARCADIA, Calif. – Storm the Court, the champion 2-year-old male of 2019, may remain in California for his second start of the year following a fourth-place finish in Sunday’s Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita.

In his first race since an upset win in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile here last November, Storm the Court was beaten 2 1/4 lengths by the heavily favored Nadal in the $200,500 San Vicente Stakes at seven furlongs. Storm the Court was as close as third on the turn, and was beaten a neck for third by Fast Enough.

Trainer Peter Eurton said the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita on March 7 is a strong possibility for Storm the Court’s next start. The San Felipe is a leading prep for the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 4.

“We’ll get him back on the track shortly and see how he goes and where we want to go,” Eurton said.

“If they said he would get beat a couple of lengths and gallop out well, I’d feel good about it. I believe he did gallop out well. He got a lot out of the race.”

Eurton said the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds on March 21 and the Grade 3 Sunland Derby at Sunland Park on March 22 will be considered for Storm the Court.

“Those could be alternatives,” Eurton said. “It could be anything between four and six weeks from now. Do you want to wait until [April] 4th for a race? I don’t think so.”

Storm the Court has won 2 of 5 starts and earned $1,184,951 for the partnership of Exline-Border Racing, David Bernsen, Susanna Wilson, and Dan Hudock.

Fast Enough, who was beaten for the first time in his career in the San Vicente, is likely to start in the $700,000 Sunland Park Derby at 1 1/8 miles as opposed to the $400,000 San Felipe Stakes, trainer Rafael Becerra said on Wednesday.

“We’ll probably go to Sunland Park,” he said. “It’s an extra couple of weeks. I think it will be good for him.”

Fast Enough closed from last of six from a rail post to finish two lengths behind Nadal.

“He was in the one hole,” Becerra said. “I was worried about it, but it was a good effort for him.”

Fast Enough won his 3-year-old debut in the California Cup Derby for statebreds at 1 1/16 miles on Jan. 18, his first start since a win in a maiden special weight race last spring.

The San Felipe candidates include Authentic, who won the Grade 3 Sham Stakes in January. Wednesday at Santa Anita, Authentic worked six furlongs in 1:12.20.