BAY STORM CUTS BACK IN DISTANCE & LOOMS LARGE GOING ABOUT 6 ½ FURLONGS DOWN HILLSIDE TURF IN SATURDAY’S $100,000 WISHING WELL STAKES

RACE NAMED IN HONOR OF THE DAM OF 1989 HORSE OF THE YEAR SUNDAY SILENCE

ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 15, 2023)—A sharp second going one mile on turf here Feb. 4, Bay Storm cuts back in distance to about 6 ½ furlongs over Santa Anita’s unique hillside turf course and looms a major contender in Saturday’s $100,000 Wishing Well Stakes for older fillies and mares.

Named in honor of the dam 1989 Horse of the Year Sunday Silence, the Wishing Well has attracted a very competitive field of nine older fillies and mares.

Based at Palm Meadows Training Center in South Florida, the Jonathan Thomas-trained Bay Storm shipped in on top of the Grade III Megahertz Stakes at a mile grass Feb. 4 and led throughout prior to getting collared late by talented Irish-bred Quattroelle, who prevailed by half length.

Off at 3-1 with John Velazquez in the Megahertz, Bay Storm will be ridden by 2019 Eclipse Award winning Apprentice Kazushi Kimura, as Velazquez will be riding in New Orleans on Saturday. Woodbine’s leading rider this past year, Kimura has two added money wins to his credit at Santa Anita’s current Classic Meet.

Second, beaten a nose three starts back in a Grade III stakes at 6 ½ on turf at Kentucky Downs Sept. 10, Bay Storm was third in a Grade III going one mile on grass two starts back at Gulfstream Park and has thus been second or third in her last three outings—all Grade III stakes.

A 5-year-old Kentucky-bred mare by the Lion Heart stallion Kantharos, Bay Storm is owned by Bridlewood Farm and has earnings of $509,080 from an overall race record of 12-4-5-2.

Fresh off an impressive three quarter length score in a hillside turf allowance Jan. 13, trainer Keith Desormeaux’s Stella Noir is two for five over the course with both of her wins in combination with Keith’s brother, Kent Desormeaux, who is back aboard for the Wishing Well.

A close second in last year’s Wishing Well, Stella Noir is likely to be unhurried early and with Desormeaux at the controls, figures to be rolling late as she seeks her first stakes victory. Owned by her breeders, Rose Hill Farm (Ocampo), Keith Desormeaux, Wayne Detmar and Gene Voss, Stella Noir is a 5-year-old mare by Stay Thirsty out of the Cuvee mare Guadalupe High. With an overall mark of 16-3-3-3, she has earnings of $207,142.

A close fourth coming down the hill in the Grade III Las Cienegas Stakes on Jan. 2, Irish-bred Countess Rosina rates a huge chance for trainer Jeff Mullins who employs his go-to rider of the moment, Hector Berrios, who rides for the third consecutive time.

A close third down the hill three starts back in the ungraded Unzip Me Stakes, Countess Rosina displayed a huge closing kick in taking a second condition allowance at five furlongs on grass two starts back at Del Mar Nov. 19.

A 4-year-old filly owned by Red Baron’s Barn and Rancho Temescal, Countess Rosina is 8-3-1-1 overall with earnings of $158,911.

Although she’s stepping up in class, the Carla Gaines-trained Big Summer is in top form and looms very dangerous with Joe Bravo back aboard. A three quarter length winner versus California-breds coming down the hill in the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint Jan. 7, this 5-year-old mare by Mr. Big has won three out of her last five starts while finishing second in the other two dating back to her first start for Gaines on Aug. 28 at Del Mar.

Bred in California by Bob Abrams and Mitchell Dutko, Big Summer is owned by Abrams, Dutko and Michael Paran. Out of the Cee’s Tizzy mare Ultimate Summer, Big Summer is 11-4-5-2 with earnings of $295,160.

THE WISHING WELL WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 9 of 9 Approximate post time 4:30 p.m.

1. Stella Noir—Kent Desormeaux—122

2. Lady Jae—Ryan Curatalo—120

3. Founder’s Day—Edwin Maldonado—120

4. Bay Storm—Kazushi Kamura—124

5. Eddie’s New Dream—Mario Gutierrez—124

6. Big Summer—Joe Bravo—124

7. Countess Rosina—Hector Berrios—122

8. Freedom Flyer—Lanfranco Dettori—122

9. Aqua Seaform Shame—Drayden Van Dyke--122

First post time for a nine-race card on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m. with admission gates opening at 10:30 a.m.