Not much separating trio in rematch
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HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Knoty Knicks, Hard Storm, and Omaha Storm finished second, third, and fourth, respectively, while separated by just over a length when meeting for the first time on Dec. 7. Of even more significance to handicappers is the fact that the three were all beaten that day by neck winner Alpyland, who flattered the race when returning to win the Dania Beach Stakes by a more comfortable margin four weeks later.
On Sunday, Knoty Knicks, Hard Storm, and Omaha Storm will square off again. They’ll compete under similar allowance and optional-claiming conditions as in their first encounter while topping a strong field of 10 3-year-olds in the 10th race at Gulfstream Park, which offers a purse of $86,000 and will be run at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.
Knoty Knicks angled widest into the stretch before finishing strongly down the middle of the course to fall just short of upsetting Alpyland in his 2-year-old finale. In turn, he checked home three-quarters of a length in front of Hard Storm and 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Omaha Storm, who was also running well at the end.
Of that trio, Hard Storm is likely to attract the most attention in Sunday’s rematch after having to steady and alter course on the opening bend and then endure a brief bumping incident in early stretch in his previous start. Despite those incidents, Hard Storm hung right in with the winner through midstretch before succumbing, earning a career-best 70 Beyer Speed Figure.
“He didn’t have the best of trips, but he really wanted to win that race. He was fighting hard all the way,” trainer Jose D’Angelo said of Hard Storm. “But he continues to do better and better, and while this isn’t an easy race, I’m very confident he can win if he gets the right trip.”
Knoty Knicks took on Alpyland, who has now won three races in a row, again in the Dania Beach. Despite earning a lifetime high 75 Beyer in his stakes debut, Knoty Knicks could not sustain a similar rally off a very lively pace that day, ultimately finishing a tiring sixth behind the heavy favorite.
Omaha Storm galloped out best of all when making his local bow here last month. He has continued to improve from a Beyer standpoint with each successive start for trainer Mark Hennig.
Several others in the well-matched lineup also figure to receive plenty of support at the windows. This group includes last-out maiden winners Thousandsticks, Gairloch, and Tacticality; trainer Mark Casse’s pair of Truman’s Commander and Blackmail, who finished first and second, respectively, in a similarly conditioned allowance last month at Tampa Bay Downs; and the extremely well-bred Sunrise, the younger brother of Grade 1 winners Spendarella and Spanish Queen.
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