Major Storm


Major Storm was purchased by the Virtual Owners Partnership in late September 1994, in a private sale, shortly after the partnership came into being. An '89 son of Tsunami Slew, out of Cassock of Pearls by Czarovich, Major was bred in Florida by Marion Montanari. He had a record of 26-3-1-2 with earnings of $62,620 when he was purchased.

Major had primarily been a turf route specialist throughout his career, and VOP purchased him with the intent of running him in turf races at Hawthorne during the Fall meet. Due to a combination of factors, Major was never able to race on the turf for the VOP. During the Fall of 1994 and the Spring of 1995 he ran eight dirt races at Hawthorne and Sportsman's Park under the VOP silks, with one win, one place, two shows, and earnings of $8,288. He was claimed from VOP out of his winning race on April 14, 1995.

Early October, 1994 - Our new horse! (94k)

1st VOP Race - October 24, 1994 HAW 9th, clm14000, purse $9,000, 1 mile 70 yds (off the turf), track fast. Ray Sibille up.

Our first race was scheduled to be run on the turf, but was taken off when turf racing at Hawthorne was cancelled for the remainder of the season. Major contested the lead early, but faded in the stretch to finish 3rd. Still, the partners were quite pleased with his effort. Joe Kristufek wrote a very nice article about VOP which ran in the track program that day, and subsequently in several other publications. Hawthorne publicity director Dave Zenner interviewed managing partner Cal Jestice on Hawthorne's TV feed prior to the race. We were all glad Major did us so proud in front of a national simulcast audience.
Major's running line: 4-2-1-1-3-3

Coming up from the saddling area - our first glimpse of a horse running under VOP silks. (71k)

First pass by the stands , and Major vies for the lead. (133k)

2nd VOP Race - November 14, 1994 HAW 7th, clm12500, purse $8,500, 1 mile 70 yds, track sloppy. Ray Sibille up.

Major's second race was essentially a carbon copy of his first - an early lead followed by a fade in the stretch, holding on for show. However, he held the lead much deeper into the stretch, and finished within a few lengths of the winner. We were all sure he was primed for a big race next out.
Major's running line: 4-1-1-1-1-3

Race 2 - Post Parade (69k)

3rd VOP Race - November 28, 1994 HAW 5th, clm12500, purse $8,500, 1 mile 70 yds, track wet fast. Ray Sibille up.

Major got out of the gate poorly, tried hard to make up ground on the leaders, then faded badly in the stretch, much to the disappointment of all his connections. A worried trainer didn't like the way he had run, and had him 'scoped after the race. Sure enough. Despite 28 prior races with no indication of a problem, Major had bled. Onto the track vet's Bleeders List he went, and suddenly we had a much more fragile horse on our hands.
Major's running line: 7-4-5-4-8-8

Race 3 - Post Parade (89k)

4th VOP Race - December 17, 1994 HAW 5th, clm10000, purse $8,000, 1 mile 70 yds, track sloppy. Mark Guidry up.

With a successful workout and 17 days off, Major was off the Bleeders List and ready for his next race. Jockey Mark Guidry was put up to try and rate Major a little so he wouldn't burn himself out in the first 6f like usual. Major, however, was having none of it, took the bit from Guidry, and simply ran his usual race, with the usual results, finishing a disappointing 7th.
Major's running line: 2-3-1-1-3-7

Race 4 - Post Parade (80k)

5th VOP Race - December 30, 1994 HAW 8th, clm8000, purse $6,500, 6f, track fast. Ray Sibille up.

We had but one last chance to accomplish anything with Major at the Hawthorne meet, and the partners had become convinced Major was not going to win at a mile. The trainer concurred, and he was entered in only the third 6f sprint of his career. He drew into a field of some of the hardest-knocking career sprinters on the Chicago circuit, all dropping down in attempt to pick up one last win for the season. It looked like we'd thrown him to the lions. Much to our delight, however, Major stalked the early leaders, made his usual huge move on the turn, closed strongly in the stretch, and finished in 5th place, just 6 lengths behind the winner. We were very pleased, especially given the prior two races, and could hardly wait for the Sportsman's season to start with a reborn sprinter.
Major's running line: 8-8-7-6-5-5

Race 5 - Tired horse, but a good race (88k)

Major needed those six weeks between Hawthorne and Sportsman's, and as it turned out, a little more. He was a tired horse after the recent five race campaign. Additionally, the last race had aggravated an ankle problem, and he was much of the winter recovering. Soon as that problem cleared up, he turned another ankle in training, and needed a little more time off. Chicago partners made weekly trips down to the barn with a bag of carrots for Major and his barn neighbors, and visited with the trainer to check up on his progress, providing material for weekly e-mail "racing news" updates for the out-of-town VOP partners as the long Chicago circuit's dark season dragged on. The layoff agreed with Major. He grew visibly stronger and more fit with each weekly visit.

6th VOP Race - March 20, 1995 SPT 6th, clm5000, purse $7,300, 6f, track sloppy. Ray Sibille up.

In his first race back from the layoff, Major once again stalked the early sprint pace, made a huge move on the turn, and gained good ground on the tiring leaders in the stretch. The result was another 5th place finish, but this time only three lengths behind the winner. We were very pleased with the results. Major could indeed compete in sprints. The Winner's Circle was starting to peep over the horizon.
Major's running line: 2-8-7-5-4-5

7th VOP Race - April 2, 1995 SPT 6th, clm6250, purse $8,400, 6f, track fast. Ray Sibille up.

Despite the opinions of the public handicappers, most of whom had Major pegged in last at 20-1 and more against this field, Major almost got away with this one. Once again he stalked the lead, once again he made his huge turn move, but this time he actually took the lead down the stretch, only to be overtaken in the last 100 yards by the fast-closing favorite. The result: second, by a length and a half. Back in the barn, Major was full of himself, prancing and snorting, seemingly not even tired. He knew he'd done a good thing. We knew it too. Barring some unforeseen disaster, victory would soon be ours.
Major's running line: 1-6-3-2-1-2

Race 7 - Post Parade (65k)

Race 7 - A strong lead in the stretch (166k)

8th VOP Race - April 14, 1995 SPT 1st, clm5000, purse 7,300, 6f, track fast. Shane Laviolette up.

We knew it that day, that Major would win. Even the fact that our regular rider Ray Sibille had received days for careless riding, forcing us to go with a young jockey with whom we were not very familiar, could not dampen our spirits. We knew. Unfortunately, a lot of other people knew, too, and depressed Major's odds to 4-1, the lowest we'd seen since we owned him. Still and all ... 4-1 isn't all bad.

True to form, Major stalked and then pressed the early pace, made a huge move in the turn, took a healthy lead into the stretch, and this time managed to hang on for the win, by about 3/4 of a length. The VOP partners on hand were ecstatic as they ran for the Winner's Circle, and the out of state partners in OTB's across America made the other patrons wonder what sort of crazy people were allowed through the doors.

Race 8 - Post Parade (73k)

Race 8 - Finally ... a strong run on the lead. (83k)

Race 8 - A Winner at last! (322k + 39k)

As we stood grinning foolishly, and the photographer snapped her photo in the Winner's Circle, the final words regarding the race came over the P.A. "Ladies and gentlemen, we had two claims in that race. The winner, number three, Major Storm, and ..."

Fare well, old horse.


10/21/95 - Major Storm Retired

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