Stormy Liberal scores repeat win in Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Stormy Liberal did more than win Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs. He also put his name in the Breeders’ Cup history books as the race’s second repeat winner, joining Mizdirection, who went back to back in 2012-13.

Unlike Mizdirection, who raced over the same Santa Anita course in winning her two Turf Sprints, Stormy Liberal took his show on the road from California to run in Kentucky. Yet his unfamiliarity with the Churchill Downs course, as well as limited experience on wet ground, never affected his performance.

Throwing down with 3-year-old World of Trouble in a stretch battle that ranked as one of the highlights of Breeders’ Cup Saturday, he determinedly surged over the final furlong to edge his younger rival by a neck. The win gave him his fourth consecutive victory, all coming in photo finishes.

“Stormy Liberal, he refuses to lose,” said winning trainer Peter Miller. “He just wants to win.”

Although Miller expressed concern earlier in the week about how Stormy Liberal might handle the wet course – which Equibase chart-callers classified as “yielding” – his doubts proved unwarranted. His horse left the gate focused, outbreaking the field by a step or two, which allowed his jockey, Drayden Van Dyke, to sit close to the pace without having to ask his mount.

Van Dyke let others more intent on the lead go to the front, settling Stormy Liberal in his usual stalking position in fourth, 2 1/2 lengths off a first quarter-mile set by World of Trouble in 22.50 seconds.

At the midway point on the turn, it was time for Stormy Liberal to wait no longer. Van Dyke let him advance into third, and from there, the battle was on. He pulled alongside the leader early in the lane, and though World of Trouble fought hard, over the final sixteenth of a mile, Stormy Liberal gradually inched away.

“I knew there were a few who were going to be a little bit faster than me,” Van Dyke said of his decision to rate his mount. “I bided my time and let them get by me, then just tipped him outside. From there on, it was up to him to do the running.”

A 6-year-old gelding by Stormy Atlantic owned by Rockingham Ranch and David Bernsen, the winner raced 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:04.05. He paid $16 as the third choice in the field of 14.

World of Trouble’s jockey, Irad Ortiz, expressed frustration at the narrow defeat to trainer Jason Servis, feeling the outcome might have been different if his horse had not tried to lug in down the stretch.

“Guys, don’t worry, we’ll be 1-20 in the Claiming Crown,” World of Trouble’s primary owner, Michael Dubb, quipped to Servis and Ortiz.

“I wanted the Breeders’ Cup,” Ortiz said.

World of Trouble, who began his career by winning a maiden $25,000 claiming race by 14 lengths, after which he was bought by Dubb and partners, is eligible for the $110,000 Claiming Crown Canterbury at Gulfstream on Dec. 1.

Far behind the leading duo was Disco Partner, the 4-1 second favorite, who rallied to be third, 7 1/4 lengths behind World of Trouble. The soft-ground-loving Ruby Notion, one of two females in the race, ran fourth.

Stormy Liberal was one of three horses Miller ran in the Turf Sprint. The others, Conquest Tsunami and Richard’s Boy, finished 11th and 14th. Servis also ran three horses, including Rainbow Heir (ninth) and Vision Perfect (13th).

Still, both men were pleased overall, even Servis, who experienced another tough Breeders’ Cup loss after Uncle Benny was second in Friday’s Juvenile Turf.

Miller said a winter trip to Hong Kong would not be forthcoming for Stormy Liberal, who ran 11th in a start there last December. For now, his primary focus will be to get him back to next year’s Breeders’ Cup when the event returns to Miller’s home state of California, this time at Santa Anita.

:: Want to get the latest news with your past performances? Try DRF’s new digital PPs