Sullimar Stable’s Get Stormy
made his annual return to Keeneland on Tuesday with an eye toward
defending his title in the $300,000, Grade 1 Maker’s 46 Mile (formerly
the Maker’s Mark Mile) to be run here on Friday, April 13.
“I
think he is as good as he has ever been,” trainer Tom Bush said before
sending the 6-year-old son of Stormy Atlantic out for some light
exercise Wednesday morning. “He was at Palm Meadows this winter and that
was great for him because it was so quiet in the afternoons.”
Get
Stormy made his first trip to Keeneland as a 3-year-old when he won the
Bryan Station (G3) and has raced here each of the past two years.
“He
had won that stake (the Lure in 2009) at Saratoga and that showed us he
belonged (with top horses),” Bush said of Get Stormy, who finished
fourth in 2010 Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) and second in the same race to
champion Gio Ponti last fall.
When he made the initial trip to Keeneland in 2009, did Bush think Get Stormy would still be going strong in 2012?
“He
is truly a late-maturing horse. He was very light early on,” Bush said.
“Late in his 3-year-old year, you could really see him coming. He has
won graded stakes at three, four, five and six, and there are not many
that do that.”
Prior
to winning the Maker’s last year, Get Stormy had made two starts in
Florida. This year, he comes into the race off one start, a victory in
the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap (G1).
“I
changed things up a little bit this year with him because he is getting
older,” Bush said. “But he is doing terrific. If things go well here,
he may go on to the Woodford (Reserve Turf Classic, a Grade 1 race on
May 5 at Churchill Downs) and then wait for the Fourstardave (G2) at
Saratoga (on August 11).”
Kip Deville (2007-08) is the only horse to have won consecutive runnings of the Maker’s, which has its 24th edition next week.