Midnight Storm chalked up his second straight graded stakes victory in Sunday’s $250,000 Eddie Read S., winning by a half-length after controlling the pace from the beginning of the 1 1/8-mile turf contest.
The 5-year-old son of Pioneerof the Nile has now won four graded stakes and earned $981,110 for his owners Alex Venneri and Little Red Feather Racing.
Midnight Storm is one of three graded stakes winners in the first half of July for Pioneerof the Nile, more than any stallion on the General Sire List.
Coming out of the infield turf chute, Midnight Storm secured a spot along the rail, with Bolo pressing the issue just to his outside. The pace was sensible, :48.03 for the half-mile and 1:12.18 for six furlongs. Jockey Rafael Bejarano called on Midnight Storm at the head of the lane, pulling away from Bolo. Ashleyluvssugar and Flamboyant (FR) quickly took up the chase, but with horses to his inside and outside, Midnight Storm dug in to secure the win.
“Raf (jockey Rafael Bejarano) saved just enough,” said winning trainer Phil D’Amato.” Bolo was all over him, he wasn’t getting any easy breathers. The reason I ran him in here is he came out of the last race (Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile win on June 4) like he hadn’t even run. His confidence is just sky high right now. When he gets good he gets really good and he’s just coming into his own. If he comes out of this race like he came out of his last one, maybe the Del Mar Mile ($200,000, G2, Aug. 21), but we’ll see what he tells us.”
Midnight Storm was bred in Kentucky by Venneri and Marjorie Post Dye.
