Trio of mares take on the boys in Fourstardave

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Got Stormy beat the boys in the Grade 1 Fourstardave here in 2019 and finished second in the race in 2020. She is back for a third straight appearance in the Fourstardave, but she won’t be the only female starter in the one-mile, $500,000 turf race Saturday at Saratoga.

The mares Blowout and Daddy Is a Legend also were entered Wednesday for Saturday’s Fourstardave, which offers its winner a fees-paid berth into the Breeders’ Cup Mile on Nov. 6 at Del Mar.

Got Stormy, a 6-year-old daughter of Get Stormy trained by Mark Casse for Spendthrift Farm and My Racehorse Stable, has put in two strong workouts over the Oklahoma turf course, including a five-furlong move in 1:00.55 under Tyler Gaffalione on Aug. 1.

“If you notice she gets better around this time,” Casse said. “Tyler, when he worked her before, said she’s good. Then, the other day, he said she’s great.”

Got Stormy came back with an exceptional workout last Sunday, going four furlongs in 47.20 seconds.

Daddy Is a Legend is taking on males for the first time. The 6-year-old daughter of Scat Daddy is coming off a third-place finish behind Althiqa in the Grade 1 Just a Game on June 5 at Belmont. Daddy Is a Legend is a Grade 2 stakes winner.

“She’s done everything but win a Grade 1,” said George Weaver, who trains Daddy Is a Legend for Jim and Susan Hill. “We like her best at a mile, and at her best she fits.”

In December 2019, Daddy Is a Legend finished second to Got Stormy, beaten three-quarters of a length, in the Grade 1 Matriarch at Del Mar. At 2, Daddy Is a Legend won the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante at Del Mar.

Blowout is coming off a front-running score in the Grade 2 Distaff Turf Mile on May 1 at Churchill Downs.

She is owned by Peter Brant and trained by Chad Brown, who also sends out Raging Bull, a late-runner who finished second to Got Stormy in the 2019 Fourstardave and was fifth in this race in 2020.

This year, Raging Bull won the Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile at Keeneland and was beaten a head by the mare Oleksandra in the Grade 3 Poker on June 20 at Belmont Park.

A field of eight was entered Wednesday for the Fourstardave. In post order, the field is Raging Bull, Whisper Not, Daddy Is a Legend, Casa Creed, Set Piece, Got Stormy, Field Pass, and Blowout.