Got Stormy a standout in short field for Wild Applause

A short field of seven for Saturday’s $100,000 Wild Applause Stakes at Belmont figures to grow even shorter by post time, likely leaving Got Stormy, the race’s lone stakes winner, as a pronounced favorite.

At best, five 3-year-old fillies will start if the race goes as scheduled at a mile on turf, with Mo Smart and Takechargedelilah both entered as main-track-only competitors. And if an off-the-turf scenario were to arise – there is a threat of rain Saturday – at least some of the grass-specializing fillies would then be candidates to be scratched.

The race drew even fewer trainers than horses. Only three trainers have runners for the turf – Got Stormy’s trainer, Mark Casse; Barclay Tagg, trainer of Ferdinanda, and Chad Brown, who has three runners in Lady Suebee, Brattata, and Punked. Todd Pletcher trains the two main-track-only entrants.

Although Ferdinanda and the Chad Brown trio have shown promise within the maiden and allowance ranks, they are not as established as Got Stormy, last-out winner of the June 2 Penn Oaks going a mile. That win had followed a close fourth-place finish in the Grade 3 Edgewood at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Oaks Day behind Toinette, Rushing Fall, and Daddy Is a Legend – three of the leading 3-year-old grass fillies in the country.

“She’s matured in each race and seems to be getting better and better,” said Casse, who began training her this winter after owner Gary Barber purchased her privately two starts into her career.

Illustrating this development, her Beyer Speed Figures have improved with each start in her six-race career, topped by a 90 in the Penn Oaks. None of her rivals has posted a Beyer higher than a 85.

Hall of Famer John Velazquez, winning at a 21 percent rate for Casse from 52 mounts in 2017-2018 with a limited $1.40 ROI, rides Got Stormy, a daughter of Get Stormy.

Brown’s three starters bring differing credentials into the Wild Applause. Brattata possesses stakes experience, while Lady Suebee and Punked exit first-level allowance victories, with Lady Suebee taking a six-furlong grass sprint and Punked a one-mile race by a neck over Ferdinanda.

Lady Suebee projects as the likely pacesetter in a race short of pace.

“She’s trained like a horse that should appreciate more ground,” Brown said.

Reflecting on his other runners, Brown said Brattata did not care for sloppy conditions in her last start and should return to form on grass, and Punked would appreciate rain softening the Belmont turf Saturday. She won on yielding turf in Ireland last year and scored her most-recent victory May 13 at Belmont over a course rated good.

The Wild Applause goes as the fourth race on a 10-race Belmont Park card with post time set for 3:09 p.m. Eastern.