By Christie DeBernardis
Already a Grade I winner on turf, Midnight Storm (Pioneerof the Nile) hopes to score his first top-level success on the dirt in Saturday's GI Santa Anita H. The dark bay strung together a trio of victories on the grass in the GI Shoemaker Mile, GII Eddie Read S. and GII Del Mar Mile H. last summer before finishing third behind Tourist (Tiznow) and two-time champion Tepin (Bernstein) in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile Nov. 5. Switched to the dirt after that effort, the Phil D'Amato trainee romped by 7 3/4 lengths in the GIII Native Diver S. Nov. 27 and captured the GII San Pasqual S. Jan. 1. The main question facing the fleet-footed 6-year-old is distance as he finished 10th to champion Beholder (Henny Hughes) when previously tried at this 10-furlong trip in the 2015 GI Pacific Classic, which was also his last start on dirt prior to the Native Diver.
Midnight Storm's main competition is East Coast invader Shaman Ghost (Ghostzapper), who was most recently a late-running second behind champion Arrogate (Unbridled's Song) in the $12-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. Jan. 28. Trained by Jimmy Jerkens, the Stronach Stables homebred won the GI Woodward S. at Saratoga last summer and closed out 2016 with a third-place finish behind Dubai-bound Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the GI Clark H. Nov. 25.
A two-time graded winner on turf, Isotherm (Lonhro {Aus}) makes his first start back on dirt here since the 2015 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, in which he finished 13th behind champion Nyquist (Uncle Mo). The dark bay was last seen winning the 1 1/4-mile GII San Marcos S. on the local turf course Feb. 4.
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