Page 74 - New Mexico Summer 2022

SUNLAND PARK
Photos by Coady Photography
New Mexico Breeders’ Derby (R)
Attila’s Storm
Forest Wildcat
Sweet Symmetry
Diabolical Dame
Diabolical
Vipervapor
DIABOLICAL STORM
Diabolical Storm, a homebred Attila’s Storm gelding owned by Joe Dee Brooks, Scott Bryant, and Derrol Hubbard, scored his first stakes victory in the March 27, 1 1/16-mile New Mexico Breeders’ Derby (R) for state-bred sophomores at Sunland Park.
Ridden by California-based jockey Edwin Maldonado for trainer Todd Fincher and sent to post as the 5-2 second choice, Diabolical Storm defeated 2-1 favorite Massive Roar by
a half of a length in 1:45.92. The gray or roan gelding earned the $150,000 winner’s share of the stakes-record $250,000 purse.
Diabolical Storm is one of 26 official black-type stakes winners from 249 starters sired by Attila’s Storm, a graded stakes winning son of the Storm Cat stallion Forest Wildcat. Campaigned in five states from 2004-07, Attila’s Storm won five of 18 races -- including the 2007 Toboggan Handicap (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack in New York City -- and he earned $534,983.
Attila’s Storm has sired the earners of $16.01 million from 12 crops, including multiple stakes winners Waltzing Attila, Stormin The Jewels, Hush’s Storm, Thermal, and Go For A Stroll. The stallion died after colic surgery on June 23, 2021.
Diabolical Storm is the lone starter to
date produced by Diabolical Dame, a New Mexico-bred 10-year-old daughter of the Artax
stallion Diabolical who won 10 state-bred stakes and earned $696,480 from 26 races. The gelding’s second dam, the New Mexico-bred Devon Lane mare Vipervapor, won the 2003 Rio Grande Senorita Futurity (R) at Ruidoso Downs.
Diabolical Storm traces back to her fifth dam, April Dawn, a Kentucky-bred daughter of 1957 Belmont Stakes Gallant Man and
a multiple stakes winner in California from 1966-67. A 1963 foal, April Dawn foaled stakes winner Sharm A Sheikh and was a half-sister
to stakes winner Hurry Up Dear and Highest Trump.
Diabolical Storm was coming off of a third-place finish, 2 1/4 lengths behind winner Jet Set Warrior, in the February 27, $100,000 Red Hedeman Mile (R) for New Mexico-
bred 3-year-olds at Sunland Park. All told,
the gelding has won three of five outs and has earned $202,600, and his three wins in four starts at Sunland Park include a nose victory in a 1-mile, $33,000 first-level allowance route on February 1.
Lonzo Who ran third and was followed
by Jet Set Warrior, Bodie Got Gold, Wheres Brayden, I Think I’m Here, Wealth N Health, Reads Pet Zenon, and Mark’s Warrior.
Runner-up Massive Roar pocketed the $50,000 runner-up share of the New Mexico Breeders’ Derby purse for his owner, The
Quarter Company LLC. A homebred dark bay or brown son of the Afleet Alex stallion Sway Away, the gelding has won two of eight starts and has banked $108,863, of which $93,260 has been earned from four races this year.
Lonzo Who races for Sam E. Stevens and Sammy L. Stevens of Lamesa, Texas, who
also bred the bay son of the Indian Charlie stallion Comfort. Lonzo Who has won two of his 11 outs, and the $25,000 third-place share of the New Mexico Breeders’ Derby purse bumped his earnings to $90,083, of which $61,083 was banked in a 2-year-old campaign during which the gelding ran second in the 5-furlong, $124,000 Mountain Top Futurity (R) at Ruidoso Downs and was a finalist in the 5 1/2-furlong, $116,000 Rio Grande Senor Futurity (R) at Ruidoso.
Diabolical Storm’s winning connections include owners Joe Dee Brooks, Scott Bryant & Derrol Hubbard, trainer Todd Fincher, and jockey Edwin Maldonado.
72 New Mexico Horse Breeder