Versatile Final Storm can earn way into a stakes

He has started in a dirt sprint, turf sprint, and a turf route in his last three starts, and will return to a dirt sprint Sunday at Los Alamitos.

A variety of surfaces and distances does not seem to affect Final Storm, who has already won on turf and dirt in his brief career.

Trained by Phil D’Amato, Final Storm will start in an allowance race for California-breds at 5 1/2 furlongs, the last event on a nine-race program that begins at 1 p.m. Pacific.

Final Storm is one of two 3-year-olds in a field of 10, a start that D’Amato said is an opportunity for a prep race prior to a potential appearance in the $150,000 Real Good Deal Stakes for statebred 3-year-olds at seven furlongs at Del Mar on Aug. 2.

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“There are not a lot of options for Cal-bred 3-year-olds,” D’Amato said. “If you’re going to stick with the 3-year-olds, this is a good prep race for that timing-wise.

“We’ve got a nice long stretch at Los Al. Hopefully he can run well and can compete in that category and that will propel him to the stakes.”

Final Storm, a gelding by Blame, is owned by the partnership of Little Red Feather Racing, Hopeless Stables, Veranda Stables, Michael Lewis, and John Vanderslice.

Billy Koch of Little Red Feather scouted Final Storm earlier this year, and recommended a $50,000 claim for the gelding at Santa Anita on March 10.

“He had been eyeing that horse,” D’Amato said.

Final Storm won his first start for the current owners and D’Amato in a six-furlong allowance race for California-bred 3-year-olds on turf at Santa Anita on April 28. Final Storm had his stakes debut in the Snow Chief Stakes for statebred 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on turf May 25, racing near the front throughout despite a wide trip. He finished fifth by 1 1/4 lengths.

“I thought it was a better-than-looked race,” D’Amato said. “We threw a lot at him after that six-furlong race. He went a mile and an eighth and he held his own.”

In Sunday’s race, Final Storm is expected to race as a stalker in a field that includes Belly Up, Disobey, Sunrise Journey, and Instinct D’ Oro, who have all shown speed.

Disobey, trained by Sam Scolamieri, won consecutive starts at Santa Anita in February and March in a $50,000 claimer for maidens and a starter allowance. Disobey finished fourth and third in two allowance races for statebreds at Santa Anita in May and earlier this month, disputing the pace before fading.

In this field, Disobey will be prominent from an inside post.

So I’m Told has a similar style as Final Storm and could be well-positioned if a scorching pace develops. So I’m Told, who is quick enough to be part of the pace, was second in an allowance race at 1,000 yards at Los Alamitos on June 2. He won an allowance race on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita in January.

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