Woodbine: Stormy Lord uses stalk-and-go tactics to win OJC

ETOBICOKE, Ontario — Stormy Lord ($5) held off Officeinthevalley and Hollinger in the final furlong to take the $100,000 Ontario Jockey Club Stakes on Wednesday night at Woodbine.

With Jim McAleney aboard, Stormy Lord stalked the dueling leaders Top Prospect and Hotep through the turn in the seven-furlong turf sprint. He hit the front early in the stretch, and had to work hard to get the job done, scoring by a length over Officeinthevalley. Hollinger finished third in a field reduced to five with the scratches of Cross Every Bridge and Sand Cove.

Stormy Lord covered the distance in 1:21.90, and banked $60,000 for Hat Trick Stable and Kinghaven Farm.

Normally a front-runner, Stormy Lord didn’t respond to rating tactics in the June 26 Highlander Stakes, and was allowed to his own thing in the OJC, trainer Ian Black said.

“He was able to sit off horses comfortably, and then close,” said Black. “We learned something.”