Storm the Court may give turf a try

Storm the Court, the champion 2-year-old male of 2019 who was third in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby last Saturday, faces an uncertain summer campaign with options on turf or the Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5 at Churchill Downs, trainer Peter Eurton said Wednesday.

Storm the Court finished third as the 2-1 favorite in the Ohio Derby, 2 3/4 lengths behind Dean Martini. Storm the Court is winless in four starts this year since his upset win at 45-1 in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita last November.

Eurton said Wednesday that no race plans have been finalized for Storm the Court, but said a turf race “is definitely in play.”

There are two graded stakes for 3-year-olds on turf at the Del Mar summer meeting – the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on Aug. 9 and the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby at 1 1/8 miles on Sept. 6.

“That’s something we would like to try,” Eurton said.

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The Kentucky Derby remains an option.

“I’m sure everyone still has that in the back of their mind,” Eurton said of the partnership that owns Storm the Court. “When you get past the first three or four [contenders], it looks wide open.”

Eurton said Storm the Court will not start in the $100,000 Shared Belief Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on Aug. 1 at Del Mar, a race that is part of the qualifying series for the Kentucky Derby.

In the Ohio Derby at 1 1/8 miles, Storm the Court closed from sixth in a field of 13.

“He ran a big race there,” Eurton said.

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