In
harness racing, the answer is a profound yes.
When
2007 Hambletonian winner Donato Hanover retired to stud there were countless
breeders with mares hoping to connect to the outstanding colt and create the
next Hambletonian winner. Lightning Storm is among five Donato Hanover colts
with an opportunity to win the sport’s most coveted prize. The quest begins on
Saturday in three $70,000 elimination heats.
Lightning
Storm is a colt bred by Donato Hanover’s trainer, Steve Elliott, who clearly
wanted to capitalize on a free breeding to his star. Elliott purchased
Lightning Flower, Lightning Storm’s dam in 2008. He bred her to Donato Hanover
and then sold the mare in foal to this year’s Hambletonian contender at year’s
end.
Purchased
for $90,000 at the Lexington Selected Sale in the fall of 2010, Lightning Storm
will be making just his 11th career start from post one in the sixth race, the
second Hambletonian elimination, at the Meadowlands on Saturday.
“He
had some baby soreness last year and we quit early with him,” said trainer
Jonas Czernyson.
The
colt trained back strongly over the winter and came out with a wild abandon in
the late spring. Lightning Storm showed hints of his dad with a 1:53.3,
10-length victory from post nine in his season’s debut on May 25 at the
Meadowlands. He followed that up with a similar victory from post ten on June 8
before moving on to stakes competition at Mohegan Sun at Pocono.
Lightning
Storm didn’t fare as well finishing fourth in the Beal eliminations and then
breaking in the $500,000 final on June 23.
Czernyson
said, “He was bearing out in the turn and we have made the adjustment,” in
regard to the miscue at Pocono.
Lightning
Storm showed he belongs at the top level with a solid third place finish in the
Reynolds at the Meadowlands on July 7. That was his first start with John
Campbell at the lines.
In
Lightning Storm’s final tune-up for the Big Dance he blasted to the front in a
$99,438 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes event at Pocono before releasing Stormin
Normand. The air went around the track one-two with Lightning Storm losing a
scant nose in the 1:52.4 mile.
“We’ve
been pointing for this race,” said Czernyson who sends out three fillies in the
Hambletonian Oaks including Check Me Out conqueror Maven and the record-setting
Holier Than Thou, a recent impressive winner in Pennsylvania Sire Stakes action
at Pocono.
The
Keystone State is extremely well represented in this year’s Hambletonian with
13 of the 25 colts named by Pennsylvania stallions.
Czernyson
seemed extremely happy of getting and retaining six-time Hambletonian winning
driver John Campbell for Lightning Storm.
While
the rail may be a good place for Lightning Storm to start, the colt may be up
against the most formidable division of the three. Stormin Normand starts
directly outside of him. That colt has been no worse than second in 12 career
starts but will be racing without Lasix for the first time this year.
Beer
Summit has also shown high-class ability with a victory in the Goodtimes at
Mohawk to his credit this year. Last year’s winning Hambo driver George Brennan
will guide him.
It’s
also hard to count out trainer Jeff Gillis’ Knows Nothing, a recent Canadian
Breeders champion and the undefeated and untested sophomore Riccolo in this
division.
“He’s
trained very well for this race,” said Czernyson quite confident that Lightning
Storm will show up on Saturday.
A lightning storm interfered with the racing program
this past Thursday at the Meadowlands.
Owner Thomas Dillon and his new partner Muscara Racing Trust hope their
“Storm” can disrupt the ambitions of seven rivals on Saturday and earn a berth
in the $1.5 million Hambletonian on August 4.
