LeComte

Storm Surge now owns two straight stakes wins (Lou Hodges Jr.)

Overbrook Farm’s homebred STORM SURGE (Storm Cat) advanced on the far turn to
draw even with the leaders and proved impossible to deny through the stretch
drive, edging clear for a neck decision in Saturday’s $100,000
LeComte S. (G3)
at Fair Grounds. Winner of the six-furlong Sugar Bowl S. in his previous outing,
the Dallas Stewart-trained three-year-old stretched out to a mile in this spot
and registered his third stakes win. Robby Albarado rode the even-money
favorite.

Major League (Magic Cat) sprinted to the front from his inside post and set a
moderate pace of :24 3/5 and :49 3/5 while being closely tracked by 2-1 second
choice Kansas City Boy (Boston Harbor). Storm Surge rated in fourth on the
outside during the opening stages and came four wide midway on the far turn to
draw even with Kansas City Boy and Smooth Bid (Rubiano) as the trio reached the
top of the stretch. Storm Surge was clearly going best of all, gaining the edge
with a furlong remaining, and proved best under steady pressure. He covered
eight fast furlongs in 1:39 1/5.

The winner gave back $4, $2.60 and $2.10 and keyed the $13.20 exacta with
Smooth Bid, who outfinished Kansas City Boy by a head along the rail and paid
$3.20 and $2.10. Kansas City Boy tallied $2.10 while completing the $23 trifecta
and it was two lengths back to Silver Haze (Silver Deputy), who rounded out the
paltry $38.20 superfecta (6-5-2-3). Major League came next across the wire and
Biloxi Palace (Seattle Slew) was scratched.

Now 8-5-1-0 overall, the Kentucky-bred Storm Surge also captured the Lone
Star Park Juvenile S. on the Breeders’ Cup undercard and finished second in the
Bashford Manor S. (G3). The dark bay colt is out of the winning Especially (Mr.
Prospector), who is also the dam of Grade 2 hero Boston Common (Boston Harbor).
The 11-year-old mare has also produced an unnamed yearling full brother to the LeComte winner.