September 23, 2015

Despite a four race winning streak and a huge stakes win at DMR in her last start, Summer Storm was dismissed at more than 50-1 in the Grade III Noble Damsel on Saturday afternoon at BEL but came through in the clutch with a wire-to-wire win that puts her in serious contention for Grade I success down the line. A daughter of sturdy sire Black Road, she has slowly risen up the ranks in both class and speed over the entire season and now boasts 13 wins from 20 career starts, and more than $370.000 in earnings including the $120.000 earned from this sharp victory.

Summer Storm (50.35) took the early lead in the Noble Damsel as Ubet Sheza Queen (10.35) dropped off the early pace and out of the chute and into the backstretch, the compact field has all found a place to sit and wait. An opening split of 23.60 was good for this class and as Summer Storm led the field, heavy favourite Fashion Lane (*0.35) sat the perfect trip outside of Thirlling Baby (1.95) with Ubet Sheza Queen a reserved fourth and as the field rolled through a half-mile in 46.19, everything remained unchanged with the leader still well within herself. Around the far turn, Summer Storm was still in control as Thirlling Baby tried to move forward inside while forcing Ubet Sheza Queen outside and with six-furlongs up in a rapid 1:09.93, it looked like everyone was going to take a shot at the longtime leader down the lane. But while Fashion Lane stalled and Thrilling Baby buckled under the pressure, Ubet Sheza Queen made a minor move to engage but mostly in vain as Summer Storm held everyone at bay to record a 1.5-length win, with Fashion Lane getting dead-heated for second in the last jump by Ubet Sheza Queen, with Thirlling Baby fourth.

Summer Storm, for some reason, was clearly the longest shot in the Grade III Noble Damsel field but managed to put everyone to sleep on the front end and record her fifth consecutive victory and first in Graded Stakes company. Impressive over both turf and dirt, long and short, a race like the Grade III Athenia would be perfect for her over a course she loves but possibly over a distance that might be a touch too long.

Congratulations goes out to owner Barcelona Farms and their four-year-old black filly Summer Storm, a wire-to-wire winner of the Grade III Noble Damsel Handicap at BEL!

Prediction                             Summer Storm / Fashion Lane / Thirlling Baby

Winner                                  Summer Storm

                                                 Four-year-old black filly

                                                 Black Road-Bring The Heat (Barbarino)

Owner                                    Barcelona Farms

Time                                        23.60, 46.91, 1:09.93, 1:33.34

Overall

Summer Storm                      50.70 broke sharp, never challenged

Fashion Lane (DH)           *0.35 pressed, even late push

Ubet Sheza Queen (DH)   10.35 last early, wide rally

Thirlling Baby                      1.95 no late response

Triple T Racing 🙂

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES