Desert Stormer (USA)
February 25, 1990 – ?
Storm Cat (USA) x Breezy Stories (USA), by Damascus (USA)
Family 21-a
February 25, 1990 – ?
Storm Cat (USA) x Breezy Stories (USA), by Damascus (USA)
Family 21-a
Desert Stormer picked the world’s biggest stage to run the race of her life, taking advantage of a muddy track and upsetting the 1995 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (USA-G1) at the expense of speedy future sire Mr. Greeley, champion sprinter Lost in the Fog, future Breeders’ Cup winners Lit de Justice and Da Hoss, and other top speedsters. She became a graded stakes producer after her retirement, and several of her daughters are breeding on.
Race record
17 starts, 7 wins, 3 seconds, 4 thirds, US$862,950
1993:
1994:
1995:
Assessments
Rated at 109 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American female sprinters of 1994, 12 pounds below highweighted Soviet Problem.
As an individual
An attractive dark bay or brown mare, Desert Stormer had a good shoulder and the strongly muscled body of her sire. She was particularly effective in the mud. She tended to run best when fresh off a layoff.
As a producer
Desert Stormer produced 14 named foals, of which 11 started and 10 won. Her important foals were as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Desert Stormer was bred and owned by Joanne Nor. Trained by Frank Lyons, she was ridden to her Breeders’ Cup Sprint score by Kent Desormeaux. She produced her first four foals for Nor and various partners. In 2002, Desert Stormer, then in foal to Kris S., sold for US$3.6 million to Charlotte Weber’s Live Oak Stud, the second-highest price up to that time for a broodmare at Keeneland January. The mare returned to the auction ring at the 2010 Keeneland January mixed sale and sold for US$135,000. She then produced two foals for Avalon Farms, Scott Swaim, and Desmond Ryan. Her final trip through the sales was at the 2010 Keeneland November sale, when she went for US$120,000 to Dell Ridge Farm and a partnership from Oklahoma. Desert Stormer was pensioned from broodmare duty in 2014 following the birth of her last foal, Fly.
Pedigree notes
Desert Stormer is inbred 4x3 to 1959 Canadian Triple Crown winner New Providence and 5x5 to Canadian champion sire Chop Chop. She is a full sister to Desert Stormette, dam of Grade 3-placed stakes winner Desert Gold (by Seeking the Gold) and second dam of 2010 Fillies’ Mile Stakes (ENG-G1) winner White Moonstone, Grade 2 winner Independence Hall, and Grade 3 winner Black Onyx. She is a half sister to Nakiska Wind (by Lyphard), dam of Grade 2-placed multiple listed stakes winner The Exeter Man (by Capote) and Brazilian listed stakes winner Icy Wind (by Clackson).
Desert Stormer and her sisters were produced from unraced Breezy Stories, whose half brother Sound Reason (by Bold Reason) was the Canadian champion 2-year-old male of 1976, the winner of the 1977 Queen’s Plate, and the champion sire of 1987/88 in New Zealand. Breezy Stories is also a half sister to Tune Writer (by Master Willie), dam of stakes winner Robyns Tune (by Robyn Dancer). The siblings are out of Canadian juvenile stakes winner New Tune (by New Providence), whose dam Song of Victory (by Victoria Park x Evensong, by The Phoenix) is a winning half sister to multiple Canadian stakes winner Song of Even (by Vimy) and to Arctic Song (by Nearctic), dam of 1972 Queen’s Plate winner Victoria Song (by Victoria Park). Song of Victory is also a half sister to Garden Court (by Bull Page), second dam of Irish Group 3 winner Park Dream.
Books and media
Video footage of Desert Stormer’s victory in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint can be accessed at her page at Horse Racing Nation (https://www.horseracingnation.com/horse/Desert_Stormer).
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photo taken by Jessica Morgan at the 2010 Keeneland January mixed sale. Used by permission.
Last updated: January 19, 2024
Race record
17 starts, 7 wins, 3 seconds, 4 thirds, US$862,950
1993:
- 2nd La Brea Stakes (USA-G3, 7FD, Santa Anita)
1994:
- Won Rancho Bernardo Breeders' Cup Handicap (USA-G3, 6.5FD, Del Mar)
- 3rd Bara Lass Stakes (USA-L, 6FD, Santa Anita)
- 3rd Great Lady M. Handicap (USA-L, 5.5FD, Hollywood)
1995:
- Won Breeders' Cup Sprint (USA-G1, 6FD, Belmont)
- Won Las Flores Breeders' Cup Handicap (USA-G3, 6FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Camilla Urso Handicap (USA-L, 6FD, Golden Gate)
- 2nd A Gleam Handicap (USA-G2, 7FD, Hollywood)
- 2nd Rancho Bernardo Breeders' Cup Handicap (USA-G3, 6.5FD, Del Mar)
- 3rd Santa Monica Handicap (USA-G1, 7FD, Santa Anita)
Assessments
Rated at 109 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American female sprinters of 1994, 12 pounds below highweighted Soviet Problem.
As an individual
An attractive dark bay or brown mare, Desert Stormer had a good shoulder and the strongly muscled body of her sire. She was particularly effective in the mud. She tended to run best when fresh off a layoff.
As a producer
Desert Stormer produced 14 named foals, of which 11 started and 10 won. Her important foals were as follow:
- Sahara Gold (1997, by Seeking the Gold) won the 2000 Stonerside Beaumont Stakes (USA-G2). She is the dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Better Lucky (by Ghostzapper), 2007 Marine Stakes (CAN-G3) winner Sahara Heat (by A.P. Indy), and listed stakes winner Final Frontier (by Ghostzapper). She is also the second dam of 2010 Panamanian champion imported 3-year-old filly Outskirt Lady and Grade/Group 3 winners Estihdaaf and Prevalence.
- Ensenada (2001, by Seeking the Gold) is stakes-placed and is the dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Casino Host (by Dynaformer).
- Sheikh’s Serenade (2006, by Unbridled’s Song) won three of her seven starts and was never out of the money. She is the dam of 2022 Japan Dirt Derby (JPN-L) winner Notturno (by Heart’s Cry).
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Desert Stormer was bred and owned by Joanne Nor. Trained by Frank Lyons, she was ridden to her Breeders’ Cup Sprint score by Kent Desormeaux. She produced her first four foals for Nor and various partners. In 2002, Desert Stormer, then in foal to Kris S., sold for US$3.6 million to Charlotte Weber’s Live Oak Stud, the second-highest price up to that time for a broodmare at Keeneland January. The mare returned to the auction ring at the 2010 Keeneland January mixed sale and sold for US$135,000. She then produced two foals for Avalon Farms, Scott Swaim, and Desmond Ryan. Her final trip through the sales was at the 2010 Keeneland November sale, when she went for US$120,000 to Dell Ridge Farm and a partnership from Oklahoma. Desert Stormer was pensioned from broodmare duty in 2014 following the birth of her last foal, Fly.
Pedigree notes
Desert Stormer is inbred 4x3 to 1959 Canadian Triple Crown winner New Providence and 5x5 to Canadian champion sire Chop Chop. She is a full sister to Desert Stormette, dam of Grade 3-placed stakes winner Desert Gold (by Seeking the Gold) and second dam of 2010 Fillies’ Mile Stakes (ENG-G1) winner White Moonstone, Grade 2 winner Independence Hall, and Grade 3 winner Black Onyx. She is a half sister to Nakiska Wind (by Lyphard), dam of Grade 2-placed multiple listed stakes winner The Exeter Man (by Capote) and Brazilian listed stakes winner Icy Wind (by Clackson).
Desert Stormer and her sisters were produced from unraced Breezy Stories, whose half brother Sound Reason (by Bold Reason) was the Canadian champion 2-year-old male of 1976, the winner of the 1977 Queen’s Plate, and the champion sire of 1987/88 in New Zealand. Breezy Stories is also a half sister to Tune Writer (by Master Willie), dam of stakes winner Robyns Tune (by Robyn Dancer). The siblings are out of Canadian juvenile stakes winner New Tune (by New Providence), whose dam Song of Victory (by Victoria Park x Evensong, by The Phoenix) is a winning half sister to multiple Canadian stakes winner Song of Even (by Vimy) and to Arctic Song (by Nearctic), dam of 1972 Queen’s Plate winner Victoria Song (by Victoria Park). Song of Victory is also a half sister to Garden Court (by Bull Page), second dam of Irish Group 3 winner Park Dream.
Books and media
Video footage of Desert Stormer’s victory in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint can be accessed at her page at Horse Racing Nation (https://www.horseracingnation.com/horse/Desert_Stormer).
Fun facts
- Desert Stormer’s name alludes to Operation Desert Storm, in which a United States-led coalition of 35 countries invaded Iraq in response to that country’s forcible annexation of Kuwait.The major operation of the first Gulf War (1990-1991), Operation Desert Storm forced Iraqi forces back out of Kuwait, allowing that country to resume self-governance.
- Desert Stormer’s win in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint was the only time in her career that she raced against males.
- Desert Stormer’s 2010 Bernardini foal was born while the mare was at Keeneland for that year’s January mixed sale. Aptly named Bornatthetrack, he won five of 37 starts over eight seasons of racing.
- The Desert Stormer Stakes is a Grade 3 sprint for fillies and mares at Santa Anita.
Photo credit
Photo taken by Jessica Morgan at the 2010 Keeneland January mixed sale. Used by permission.
Last updated: January 19, 2024