Stormy Liberal can boost ROI in Joe Hernandez Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – Stormy Liberal was claimed for $40,000 in October, a purchase that is looking more and more like a steal for owner Gary Hartunian and trainer Peter Miller.

Since the claim, Stormy Liberal has been second twice and won the Clocker’s Corner Stakes on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita on Jan. 29. The 5-year-old gelding earned $47,700 from the Clocker’s Corner win alone.

“He’s a good horse, whether he ran for $40,000 or not,” Miller said.

Overall, Stormy Liberal has earned $78,700 since being claimed, a figure that can go past the six-figure mark if he wins Saturday’s $75,000 Joe Hernandez Stakes at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course.

“He’s as good as he’s been or better,” Miller said. “He’s not regressing. I think he should be tough.”

Stormy Liberal has the outside post in a field of eight older horses. Miller envisions Stormy Liberal as a stalker on Saturday even though he led throughout the Clocker’s Corner. Stormy Liberal won that race by 1 1/2 lengths over Forever Juanito, who is part of Saturday’s field.

Forever Juanito dueled for the lead with Stormy Liberal in the Clocker’s Corner while racing on the inside. Trainer Victor Garcia wonders what would have happened if Forever Juanito had been on the outside.

“I hope he can get a better trip,” he said.

The Hernandez Stakes will be the turf debut for Danzing Candy, who has not raced since finishing second at 1-5 in the Grade 3 Affirmed Stakes for 3-year-olds last July here.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Danzing Candy won the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes last March and was later 15th in the Kentucky Derby when trained by Clifford Sise. Danzing Candy was transferred to Baffert in the days after the Kentucky Derby.

Forest Chatter will attract considerable support in his first start since July. A stakes winner in 2015 on the hillside for trainer Richard Mandella, Forest Chatter was held out of the Sensational Star Stakes for California-breds on the hillside turf course last weekend in favor of the Hernandez.