Got Stormy Got Them All in $200,000 Penn Oaks

GRANTVILLE, PA – Gary Barber’s Got Stormy got them all on Saturday, earning her first career stakes score in her third attempt in the $200,000 Penn Oaks at Penn National Race Course.

Breaking from post 2 under Tyler Gaffalione, Got Stormy settled along the inside early while Classy Dancer and Treasuring took turns setting initial splits of :23.03, :46.96, and 1:11.18. Commencing a rally through the far turn, Got Stormy angled three-wide into the stretch and kept charging, eventually collaring Treasuring and Goodthingstaketime in midstretch. Continuing forward under a full drive, Got Stormy edged clear and then held off a late charge from Thewayiam before hitting the wire first by a neck in a final time of 1:34.76 for the mile-long event over the firm turf course.

“We had an inside-out trip,” Gaffalione said. “We saved ground around the first turn and started working our way out around the backside. She likes a free run, so I just wanted to make sure there was nothing in her way when it came time to go. She just keeps getting better and better. She’s a really strong miler. She tries hard every time. In all honesty, I was waiting on (Thewayiam) to come, and I saw her coming late, but the wire was there, and we were fortunate enough to get there first.”

Thewayiam’s effort, though not strong enough to win, was able to carry her to second by a length over Goodthingstaketime. Treasuring weakened to finish fifth ahead of fellow faltering foe Classy Dancer, with Stormologist and Raucous completing the order of finish.

Got Stormy’s win was the second of her career, following a maiden-breaking effort in January at Gulfstream Park for trainer Mark Casse. The 3-year-old daughter of Get Stormy improved her record to 6-2-0-2 with career earnings of $166,925.

“What a spectacular ride by Tyler,” Casse said. “This filly, she’s a nice filly. She’s gutsy. We talked about it today, Tyler and I. She’s the kind of filly you can position where you want to. We were going to settle in and try to save ground. He ended up having to get out on the turn and go a little wider. She’s funny. We kind of feel like the mile is as far as she wants to go. She’s just a really nice filly.”

Winner returned $ to win, $ to place, and $ to show. Place brought back $ to place and $ to show, while Show paid $ to show.