Woodbine Mile international scouting report: Stormy Antarctic

A Group performer for all four seasons of racing, Stormy Antarctic has a newfound consistency since he was gelded last summer. The question is whether he can break through at the top level or continue to find one too good for him.

Stormy Antarctic is by Stormy Atlantic, sire of several Canadian champions including Up with the Birds, as well as reigning Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) victor Stormy Liberal and multiple Grade 1-winning turfiste Get Stormy. Out of the Group 3-placed Bea Remembered, Stormy Antarctic is a half-brother to multiple Group 2-placed Al Johrah, best known for finishing best of the rest behind Lady Aurelia in the 2016 Queen Mary (G2) at Royal Ascot.

A £200,000 Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up graduate, Stormy Antarctic is trained by Ed Walker, whose rare transatlantic forays are often worthwhile. His Mutatis Mutandis was third in the 2015 Flower Bowl (G1) at 14-1, and most recently Indian Blessing, like Stormy Antarctic owned by P.K. Siu, filled the same spot in the August 25 Ballston Spa (G2) at 18-1.

Stormy Antarctic showed his quality during a productive juvenile campaign highlighted by a near-miss in the 2015 Criterium International (G1). Aidan O’Brien’s Johannes Vermeer narrowly held him off on the very soft ground that’s long been his forte.

In his three-year-old bow, Stormy Antarctic romped in a soft-ground Craven (G3) at Newmarket (click link for replay). That effort propelled him into the second betting choice in the 2000 Guineas (G1), but he wound up 11th behind Galileo Gold, with a pulled shoulder muscle diagnosed as the reason.

Stormy Antarctic rebounded when runner-up in a course-record Prix Jean Prat (G1) to Zelzal (the traffic-compromised sixth in last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Mile [G1]).