We Be Stormin back in his age group in Rainbow Stakes

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – We Be Stormin will return to racing with straight 3-year-olds Sunday when he attempts to win his fourth consecutive race in the $75,000 Rainbow Stakes at Oaklawn Park. He is among seven Arkansas-breds set for the six-furlong sprint, including the standout maiden winner Weast Hill and the developing Meanbone.

“It’s going to be a tough race,” said Al Cates, who trains We Be Stormin for Hogwild Stables.

We Be Stormin has risen to the top of his division at this Oaklawn meet, defeating older rivals in an Arkansas-bred allowance Jan. 25, then winning the $75,000 Nodouble Breeders’ Stakes over his elders March 8. We Be Stormin battled for a nose win in the Nodouble and earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 83.

“He just gives all he’s got every time,” said Cates. “It’s tough to hook older horses this early in the year. That goes back to his heart. He ran a huge race.”

Key contenders

We Be Stormin (Last 3 Beyers: 83-74-57)

He’s been flattered since his win in the Nodouble, with two horses returning to win their next starts, including runner-up Rock City Roadhog, who accounted for a first-level allowance at Oaklawn with an 87 Beyer. We Be Stormin emerged from the Nodouble in good order and has done well in advance of the Rainbow.

“We love the way he’s going into the race,” said Cates.

The Rainbow is a rare stakes opportunity for 3-year-old Arkansas-breds, and it’s been on We Be Stormin’s radar for some time, said Cates. The horse started his win streak in September, when he won a maiden special weight at two turns at Louisiana Downs. He then returned to action at 3 at Oaklawn.

“Even as a 2-year-old at Louisiana Downs, this race has been circled,” Cates said of the statebred stakes opportunity for We Be Stormin.

Ramon Vazquez has the mount on the late-running We Be Stormin.

Weast Hill (Last Beyer: 84)

He made a splash in his Feb. 26 debut, wiring a maiden special weight sprint field by 7 1/2 lengths at Oaklawn. That has since become a key race, with two horses returning to win their next starts, including October Sky, who accounted for a maiden special weight at Oaklawn.