Stormello

[robfla]

Kent D.seems pretty confident:


The Stormy Atlantic colt had his final Derby prep at Hollywood Park Sunday morning, breezing five furlongs in 1:00.80, and trainer Bill Currin labeled the move “the most perfect work he’s ever had.”

Currin, part-owner of Stormello with Alvin Eisman, was ecstatic about the workout, his exuberance matched by that of jockey Kent Desormeaux, who flew out to California to exercise his Derby mount.

“Kent got off the horse all bubbling over,” the trainer said, “really pumped up. There were some media people watching the work and Kent told them, ‘He will win the Kentucky Derby.’ They asked me how I felt, and I said ‘My jockey said it all for me.’”

Currin said today’s work was designed to teach Stormello a few lessons about rating behind horses and moving at the opportune time.

“I wanted to slow him down a little,” Currin said, “because I didn’t want him working :57 and change, like he’s done before. I wanted him to go at a good pace, but to get some schooling behind horses, on the rail and out in the middle of the track.

“Kent handled it perfectly. He was four or five lengths behind his workmate (the Currin-trained Eyesalrite) and on the inside for a quarter. Then Kent moved him to the outside, and Stormello took off, and kept going well past the wire. I got him the final eighth in 11 flat. Eyesalrite is a nice horse, but he’s no Stormello.”

Stormello’s move was eighth-best of 56 drills at the distance, while Eyesalrite was timed the five-eighths in 1:02.

The colt is scheduled to leave Hollywood Park at 5 a.m. Monday for a flight to Churchill Downs. The trainer will arrive later in the day.

Stormello, winner of the Hollywood Futurity in his final start as a 2-year-old, has run twice at Gulfstream Park this year, finishing second (beaten a nose by Scat Daddy) in the Fountain of Youth, and fourth in the Florida Derby.