Stormy Lucy goes for new connections in Santa Barbara

ARCADIA, Calif. – Northern California trainer Ed Moger Jr. has always been interested in Stormy Lucy.

Moger went to high school with Frank Lucarelli, who trained Stormy Lucy to six wins in her first 21 starts. When Stormy Lucy became available for sale last month, Moger bought her for an undisclosed amount, and his brother Steve Moger is listed as owner.

Sunday at Santa Anita, the 5-year-old Stormy Lucy makes her first start for the Mogers in the $150,000 Santa Barbara Handicap for fillies and mares over 1 1/4 miles on turf.

[DRF Live: Get live reports and handicapping insights from DRF writers and handicappers this Sunday]

“She was in super shape when we got her,” Ed Moger said. “She was for sale and she’s got residual value as a broodmare. I though the price was right.”

Moger said the deal was reached in the days after Stormy Lucy won the Grade 2 Santa Ana Stakes over 1 1/8 miles on turf on March 16, her third stakes win. Stormy Lucy was shipped to Santa Anita on Thursday from Moger’s stable at Golden Gate Fields.

Moger said he has done little to change Stormy Lucy’s routine.

“I’m trying not to screw it up,” he said. “I think a mile and a quarter is good for her, probably. The longer the better.”

A closer, Stormy Lucy won her first graded stakes in the Santa Ana. She was second at 43-1 in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks in 2012, and later that year was last of 11 in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita.

In the Santa Ana, Stormy Lucy closed from sixth of seven, taking the lead in the final furlong. Three of those who finished behind her that day are entered in the Santa Barbara – Miss Serendipity (who finished third), Topic (sixth), and Floral Romance (seventh).

Miss Serendipity, trained by Ron McAnally, won the Group 1 Estrellas Distaff over 1 1/4 miles on turf in Argentina last June, her final start in that country. Winless in three races in California this year, Miss Serendipity was beaten 2 1/2 lengths in the Santa Ana.

Topic was third in the Grade 1 American Oaks over 1 1/4 miles on turf at Hollywood Park last July and won the CTT and TOC Handicap over 1 3/8 miles on turf at Del Mar last August. The Santa Ana was her first start since a last-place finish in a field of seven in the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes at Santa Anita last September.

The race distance of the Santa Barbara appeals to Topic’s trainer, Neil Drysdale.

“I do think it will be better for her at a mile and a quarter,” Drysdale said. “I’d prefer if the race was over a mile and a half.”

The field also includes Customer Base, who won the Grade 3 Robert Frankel Stakes here in December, and the longshots Champagneandcaviar and Phonybooksnrecords.

Customer Base followed her win the Frankel with a ninth-place finish in the Grade 2 Buena Vista Stakes over a mile on turf on Feb. 17. Her performance in the Frankel would make her competitive on Sunday, trainer Tom Proctor said.

“I think she’d have a shot off that,” he said.