Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Storm the Court
Storm the Court
Court Vision – My Tejana Storm, by Tejano Run
Bred in Kentucky by Stepping Stone Farm ($5,000 Fasig-Tipton February weanling purchase by Bryan Rice; $60,000 OBS spring 2-year-old purchase by Exline-Border Racing)
Almost a year after it began, the road to the 2020 Kentucky Derby finally comes to an end on Sept. 5. There were two points-scoring races to kick off the official series of prep races in September 2019 – the Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs, won by Dennis’ Moment, and the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita, won by Eight Rings. Neither is expected to run in the Kentucky Derby. In fact, the only starter in those first two prep races considered possible to start in the Kentucky Derby is Storm the Court. Third in the American Pharoah, the colt went on to upset the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and be voted the divisional Eclipse Award champion. Winless this season while running on both dirt and turf, Storm the Court would be pulling off another major upset in the Derby.
Storm the Court is the best runner sired by Court Vision. A Gulch horse, Court Vision raced on dirt early in his career, winning the Grade 3 Iroquois and Grade 2 Remsen as a juvenile, and finishing third in both the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth and Grade 1 Wood Memorial before running 13th in the Kentucky Derby. He later transitioned to turf and was a Grade 1 winner in four consecutive seasons, taking the Hollywood Derby in 2008; the Shadwell Mile in 2009; the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap and Woodbine Mile in 2010; and the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Mile in his career finale.
Court Vision is from the female family of American classic winners A.P. Indy, Lemon Drop Kid, and Summer Squall. A.P. Indy and Summer Squall both went on to sire winners of Triple Crown races.
My Tejana Storm, a winner sprinting on the dirt, has produced three winners – her champion Storm the Court, a Grade 1 winner routing on dirt and Grade 2-placed routing on turf; Belleoftheprairie, a winner sprinting on both dirt and turf; and He’s Great, who has a maximum winning distance of 6 1/2 furlongs on dirt. This is the extended family of Australian champion Assertive Lad and his multiple Group 1-winning full sister Assertive Lass; Peruvian champion Fregy’s; and Grade 1/Group 1 winners First Approach, Kizilmurat, Meisho Doto, Queen Lib, and Reset.