Stormation puts unbeaten record on the line in Shakopee Juvenile

SHAKOPEE, Minn. – The undefeated Stormation aims to continue his march toward a perfect season in Saturday’s $75,000 Shakopee Juvenile, a six-furlong sprint on the Canterbury main track.

Stormation, a quick Stormy Atlantic colt trained by Robertino Diodoro, is 3 for 3 and has tallied back-to-back stakes wins at Prairie Meadows and Canterbury, his home track. Most recently, Stormation controlled the proceedings in the $40,000 Careless Navigator here Aug. 8, winning the 5 1/2-furlong dash by a length.

The Mercedes Stable homebred has been ridden by Jorge Carreno in all three of his scores. Carreno retains the mount and will have to carry Stormation’s speed a sixteenth of a mile farther in the Juvenile.

In the field of 10 2-year-olds, Stormation’s opposition is headed by the filly Amariah Grace and the geldings John’s Luck, Cashel Rock, and Bushrod.

Amariah Grace, trained by Valorie Lund, drew the rail for the third straight time and crushed maiden fillies by 10 lengths here Aug. 1.

John’s Luck, a confirmed closer, wore down a group of local maidens when tallying by 3 1/4 lengths Aug. 21.

The Arlington Park shipper Cashel Rock, victorious in a 5 1/2-furlong turf maiden race there July 23, and Bushrod, an easy three-length winner of a June 7 maiden race here over 3 1/2 furlongs, could test Stormation’s precocious speed.

The Shakopee Juvenile is preceded on the 10-race afternoon card by the $40,000 HBPA Sprint, a six-furlong test with nine runners who have never won a stakes race.

KEY CONTENDERS

Amariah Grace (Beyers: 65-18)

◗ She gets the services of jockey Leandro Goncalves for the first time. Goncalves is a stellar 79 for 324 here.

Stormation (Last 3 Beyers: 70-67-78)

◗ Jockey Carreno has been winning at a 26 percent clip in 2014-15 for trainer Diodoro, his chief client.

John’s Luck (Beyers: 53-47)

◗ Conditioned by Eric Heitzmann, this Louisiana-bred could pick up the pieces behind an expected quick pace.

Cashel Rock (Beyer: 64)

◗ He has been gelded since his debut win on the Arlington grass, and jockey Santo Sanjur makes the trek from Chicago to retain the mount.

Bushrod (Beyer: 73)

◗ This Arizona-bred was unchallenged June 7, and his recent five-furlong works for trainer Doug Oliver could aid his stamina.