There’s something about an unbeaten filly that stirs the heart of every racing fan — and William Werner’s Storm’s Wake is already making that kind of noise. Still perfect after two starts, the daughter of Oscar Performance will chase a third straight victory when she lines up for Saturday’s $75,000 Our Dear Peggy Stakes at Gulfstream Park, the headline act on an 11-race card.
Trainer Brian Lynch can’t help but admire her poise.
“She’s 2-for-2,” Lynch said. “She’s won sprinting, and then I ran her against the boys because there wasn’t a girls’ race — and she won going a mile. At this stage, she’s undefeated.”
A Rising Star with Grit and Range
What’s made Storm’s Wake special so far isn’t just her record, but how she’s done it. On debut at Ellis Park (Aug. 24), she showed grit, recovering from traffic trouble to win a 5½-furlong turf maiden. Then, when stretched out to a mile at Churchill Downs (Sept. 28), she unleashed a relentless rally from ninth to catch the boys in a thrilling photo finish.
Her regular rider Nik Juarez, who has partnered her in both starts, retains the mount for Saturday’s mile test on the Gulfstream turf — her third different course in as many runs.
“She touted herself early,” Lynch added with a knowing smile. “As soon as she started breezing, she showed she was the real deal.”
Lynch’s stable will soon head south to Florida for the winter, with Storm’s Wake leading the advance guard.
“We’re sending horses down there when Keeneland closes,” Lynch said. “Gulfstream’s Championship Meet starts Thanksgiving Day — it’s always a great time to be there.”
The Challengers
Storm’s Wake (5-2) is the only two-time winner in a deep Our Dear Peggy field of 11, which includes class droppers and blueblood debut winners.
Right behind her on the morning line is Miss Picky (3-1), a Todd Pletcher-trained filly for Repole Stable. After a tough trip in the Grade 2 Miss Grillo at Aqueduct, the daughter of Uncle Mo looks to bounce back under new pilot Samuel Marin. She had earlier impressed at Saratoga with a front-running four-length maiden win.
Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. fields two live hopes — Spirit Doll (6-1) and Dandona (12-1). Spirit Doll, another by Tiz the Law, switches to turf after a rough trip in the Spinaway (G1), while Dandona — a $1.05 million OBS April purchase — broke her maiden on Tapeta and now takes on turf for the first time under Reylu Gutierrez.
Next Level Stables’ Y’allreadyforthis (5-1) will aim to rebound from a tight eighth in the Matron (G3) at Aqueduct. The More Than Ready filly, now with Jorge Delgado, gets Emisael Jaramillo aboard for her Gulfstream debut.
Others to watch include Bert’s Knoty Girl (12-1) and Spicy Princess (10-1), separated by a head in their previous Gulfstream turf mile; Bayou Brigid, who seeks redemption after a Saratoga setback; Vita Mia, a promising filly switching to grass after a near-miss on dirt; and outsiders Little Torch and That Police, who round out a competitive juvenile lineup.
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