Storm the Court tries to get back on winning track in Ohio Derby

Since the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile there’s been no reason to leave the stands after Storm the Court races.

The champion 2-year-old male has yet to visit the winner’s circle in three starts this year, a streak he’ll try to end Saturday at Thistledown in the Grade 3, $500,000 Ohio Derby.

Storm the Court is listed as a reasonable 3-1 favorite on the morning line for the 1 1/8-mile Ohio Derby, the eighth of nine races with post time set for 4:22 p.m. Eastern. Flavien Prat comes in from California to ride, and trainer Peter Eurton comes with an equipment change – blinkers off.

An overflow field of 15 was entered in the Ohio Derby, which is part of Churchill Downs’s Road to the Derby, awarding Kentucky Derby qualifying points (20-8-4-2) to the top four home. Celtic Invader was expected to be scratched in favor of a race in New York.

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Eurton won the 2018 Ohio Derby with Core Beliefs, and there’s still reason to believe in Storm the Court, not as an elite performer, but as a contender in a race like Saturday’s. While his BC Juvenile has come back historically soft (its eight runners subsequently are 2 for 25), Storm the Court, following a needed comeback run in the San Vicente, finished a creditable third behind Authentic and Honor A. P. in the March 7 San Felipe. But in his most recent race he went the wrong direction, finishing a dull sixth in a division of the Arkansas Derby. Post 13 does him no favors Saturday.

Established and Sprawl look like horses on the rise and already have run fast enough to win. Established remains a maiden after two starts, but his second-place finish going a one-turn mile May 24 at Churchill Downs gave connections reason to tackle the Ohio Derby. At Churchill, Established fought the older Chad Brown-trained race favorite Per Capita the entire homestretch, coming up a half-length short as the top pair pulled more than seven lengths clear. Established, by Constitution, tackles winners and two turns for the first time.

“The horse has shown extreme gameness,” trainer Mike Stidham said. “We were so far clear of the rest of the field last time, and he galloped out good. We can always run in a maiden race. With this being such a strange year, we thought why not take a shot?”

While Established ran strongly second out, Sprawl needed time to raise his game. Trained by Bill Mott, Sprawl had one win from seven starts before he captured a two-turn, first-level allowance against older horses May 28 at Churchill. Sprawl, racing on Lasix for just the second time, appeared to wake up in a Gulfstream Park one-turn mile March 27 and showed vastly improved positional pace in his recent win. Paco Lopez rides for the first time, and his mount looks the type requiring strong encouragement to get down to business.

Lebda got a perfect trip beating only five foes in the $100,000 Private Terms at Laurel but isn’t without a chance, while Rowdy Yates, who might not want to run this far, races for the first time since a fourth in the Saudi Cup Derby overseas.

Trainer Tom Amoss won this race in 2016 with Mo Tom and in this renewal sends out Dean Martini, who was claimed for $50,000 two starts ago and finished second in a first-level allowance for his new connections.