Get Stormy cruises in Bernard Baruch

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - The ability to relax early enabled Get Stormy to kick home strong late as he scored a rather easy 2 3/4-length victory in Friday's Grade 2, $200,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap at Saratoga.

National Kid, who set the early pace, held second, one length ahead of Radical Sabbatical. It was another three lengths to Sudden War in fourth.

Get Stormy swept the two turf stakes for older males here, winning the Grade 2 Fourstardave four weeks ago. He joined Justenuffhumor, Trademark, Hap, and Steinlen as horses to win both races during the same meet.

It was the seventh win from his last eight starts for Get Stormy, and his eighth from 16 career outs. Get Stormy, a 4-year-old son of Stormy Atlantic, is owned by Sullimar Stable and trained by Tom Bush.

Get Stormy was trying 1 1/8 miles for the first time, but the added ground proved no obstacle for the 4-year-old son of Stormy Atlantic.

A front-runner in most of his victories, Get Stormy rated in second under Javier Castellano, who was content to stalk National Kid through fractions of 23.81 seconds, 47.23, and 1:10.90 for six furlongs.

Approaching the quarter pole, Castellano moved Get Stormy after National Kid, collared him outside the eighth pole then edge clear. Get Stormy covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:46.70 and returned $3.90 as the favorite.

"He relaxed, I think that was the key in the first part of the race," Castellano said. "I put him behind the one speed horse. On the backside he settled beautifully, he just galloped along. When I asked him, I pushed the button he took off."

Bush praised Castellano's decision to take Get Stormy back off National Kid early on.

"I was pretty sure the other horse was faster, and Javier did the right thing he made him earn [the lead] a little bit," Bush said. "Javier still kept the hedge going to the first two turns and then he stepped him outside a little bit. I just thought he rode him absolutely exceptional."

Bush said Get Stormy would be pointed to the $600,000 Shadwell Mile at Keeneland on Oct. 9 early October as a possible prep for the Breeders' Cup Mile at Churchill Downs on Nov. 6.