Midnight Storm will stay on dirt for San Pasqual

Dirt races will play a leading role in future starts for Midnight Storm, the winner of the Grade 3 Native Diver Stakes at Del Mar last Sunday.

Co-owner Billy Koch said on Thursday that Midnight Storm will be pointed to the $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on dirt at Santa Anita on Jan. 1, and that he and co-owner Alex Venneri are listening to offers about gaining a potential berth in the $12 million Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 28.

“Everything is up in the air,” Koch said of the Pegasus. “We have been approached by several people, and we’re listening to the opportunities.

“We are more than likely to have a 2017 campaign that includes some big dirt races. We think it’s important for him to win a prestigious race on the dirt to go along with his Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile.”

Midnight Storm won the Shoemaker Mile on turf at Santa Anita last June. Midnight Storm was third in the Breeders’ Cup Mile on turf at Santa Anita last month.

Koch is the managing partner of the Little Red Feather syndicate that co-owns Midnight Storm with Venneri.

Trained by Phil D’Amato, Midnight Storm has won 9 of 20 starts and earned $1,341,110. In the Native Diver Stakes, Midnight Storm led throughout and pulled clear in the stretch to win by 7 3/4 lengths. The Native Diver was Midnight Storm’s first stakes win on dirt.

“I thought his race the other day was spectacular,” Koch said.