SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – It was fair to wonder if, at age 6 and with plenty of miles under her belt, Got Stormy had lost a step or two. But when Got Stormy comes to Saratoga, she seems to find her best stride, doing so yet again Saturday, winning the Grade 1, $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap for the second time in three years. The recipient of a ground-saving trip in third under Tyler Gaffalione, Got Stormy tipped out for the stretch run and surged past the pacesetting Blowout and pace-pressing Whisper Not in midstretch to win the Fourstardave by 1 1/2 lengths. Set Piece, away slow under Florent Geroux, rallied to get second by a half-length over Casa Creed. Blowout finished fourth, followed, in order, by Daddy Is a Legend, Raging Bull – the even-money favorite – Whisper Not, and Field Pass. The win came two years after Got Stormy set a Saratoga inner turf course record of 1:32 winning this race a week after she had won a listed stakes against females. In 2020, Got Stormy ran a good second to loose-on-the-lead Halladay in the Fourstardave. Got Stormy became the first two-time winner of this race since Wise Dan won it in consecutive years (2012-13). Before him, the last horse to win this race twice was Fourstardave, who won it in 1990-91 when it was known as the Daryl’s Joy. It was renamed the Fourstardave in 1996 to honor the New York-bred gelding who had won at least one race for eight consecutive Saratoga meets. Fourstardave “was always a neat horse for me because I loved the fact he might not do anything all year and he’d come up to Saratoga and it was his place,” said Ned Toffey, general manager of Spendthrift Farm, which purchased Got Stormy for $2.75 million last November at the Fasig-Tipton sale and subsequently leased the horse to Myracehorse.com. “So, I think she’s kind of a particularly fitting winner.” Got Stormy, trained by Mark Casse, won the Grade 3 Honey Fox at Gulfstream in February. She then finished fifth in both the Grade 2 Distaff Turf Mile at Churchill and Grade 1 Jaipur at Belmont Park. :: Visit DRF's Saratoga shop for all your handicapping needs: Past performances, picks, Clocker Reports, Betting Strategies, and more “You know, honestly, I was worried that she lost a step,” Toffey said. “Mark told me before the race she’s doing as well as she could do.” Casse and Gaffalione noted that Got Stormy picked up her training here with a bullet work over the Oklahoma turf course on Aug. 1. “That day she really blossomed,” said Gaffalione, who was aboard for that work. “Reminded me of the old filly from last year; gave us some hope going into this race.” Casse had hope because the turf course had firmed up and the rain, for the most part, stayed away. The rails on the inner turf course were removed during the week, and it became clear the inside paths were the place to be this week. Gaffalione did a good job getting Got Stormy from post 6 to the inside by the first turn. Casse was a little concerned when the mare Blowout was able to get away with a 23.45-second opening quarter. But the tempo picked up some with Blowout going a half in 46.69 and six furlongs in 1:10.12. Whisper Not had moved within a half-length at that point while Gaffalione had Got Stormy within two lengths of the lead turning for home. Got Stormy got into the clear in upper stretch and with six spaced-out thwacks of Gaffalione’s whip, Got Stormy cruised to her 12th victory in 30 starts. She increased her lifetime earnings to $2,398,403. Got Stormy, a daughter of 2010 Fourstardave winner Get Stormy, covered the mile in 1:33.09 and returned $27 as an overlooked 12-1 shot. She earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 104. “The best ground has been inside on the turf, so I figured that was the best place to be,” Gaffalione said. “I was able to get that comfortably and it worked out.” For Casse – inducted into the Hall of Fame on Aug. 6 – it was his first victory of this meet with his 21st starter. “She loves this place, it was a powerful performance,” Casse said. “It feels good when everybody says she’s finished, it’s over and they come back.” Got Stormy earned a fees-paid trip to the Breeders’ Cup Mille as part of the Win and You’re In program. In 2019, Got Stormy finished second to the mare Uni in the Mile.