Storm the Court the wild card in La Jolla Handicap

With his reputation battered by a four-race losing streak since February, Storm the Court, the champion 2-year-old male of 2019, tries turf for the first time in Sunday’s Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap at Del Mar.

It could be a short-term experiment.

Trainer Peter Eurton said on Friday that Storm the Court has not been ruled out of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Sept. 5. While the $125,000 La Jolla Handicap for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles is designed as a prep for the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby on turf on Sept. 6, Eurton wants to see how Storm the Court performs Sunday before making plans for Labor Day weekend.

“We’ll see how he runs here,” Eurton said. “If he runs big, it would be hard to pass the Del Mar Derby, but he could go to the Kentucky Derby.”

Best known for winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in a 45-1 shocker at Santa Anita last November, Storm the Court lost graded stakes at Santa Anita, Oaklawn Park, and Thistledown from early February to late June.

In the Grade 3 Ohio Derby at Thistledown on June 27, Storm the Court raced in a stalking position and finished third, beaten 2 3/4 lengths by Dean Martini as the 2-1 favorite. Storm the Court earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 90 in the race.

Owned by David Bernsen, Exline-Border Racing, Dan Hudock, and Susanna Wilson, Storm the Court is one of two runners among the eight entrants in the La Jolla Handicap without turf racing experience. Azul Coast, the winner of the El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields in February, will have his first start on the surface.

Eurton was encouraged when Storm the Court worked on turf three times in July, including five furlongs in 1:00.40 on July 19. Flavien Prat, who has ridden Storm the Court in seven of his eight races, has the mount in the La Jolla, a race Eurton said could lead to further starts on turf later in the colt’s career.

“It gives us other options, for sure, to find out what he’s best at,” he said. “We don’t have to ship to find out this information.

“We think he is a very good dirt horse. He ran his best race last time, numbers-wise. He’s finding his way. Hopefully he can peak at the right time.”

Prat is likely to have Storm the Court in a tracking position in the La Jolla.

“On turf, I think the whole idea is to get in a comfortable position,” Eurton said. “He won’t be taking him back, that’s for sure.”

Aside from Azul Coast and Storm the Court, there are three other stakes winners in the field – Indian Peak, Kanderel, and Smooth Like Strait. Ajourneytofreedom and K P All Systems Go have placed in stakes on turf. I’m Leaving You was a troubled fifth in the Oceanside Stakes here on July 10.

Indian Peak won the Snow Chief Stakes for California-bred 3-year-olds on turf at 1 1/8 miles at Santa Anita on June 20 and will have his graded stakes debut in the La Jolla. Mike Smith rode Indian Peak in the Snow Chief and has the mount on Sunday.

The distance is a slight concern for trainer Quinn Howey.

“I think a mile and a sixteenth is a little short for him,” he said. “He’s training great and worked well on the turf.”

Kanderel won the Alcatraz Stakes at a mile on turf at Golden Gate Fields on June 13, finishing a head in front of Ajourneytofreedom, and was later second in the Oceanside. Ajourneytofreedom was third in the Oceanside.

Smooth Like Strait won the Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes for 2-year-old turf milers here last December, and won the War Chant Stakes at a mile on turf at Churchill Downs on May 23.

Smooth Like Strait will likely set the pace in the La Jolla.

“He’s got plenty of tactical speed and he’ll lay close,” trainer Michael McCarthy said. “He’s been very straightforward. He’s getting a little more mature.”