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Mesa storms to victory in San Clemente Richard L. Davis' STORM MESA (Sky Mesa) entered Saturday's $150,000 San Clemente H. (G2) going a mile on Del Mar's turf with four straight victories over dirt tracks, but no previous tries on a grass course. She easily passed the turf test to add a fifth straight score and third consecutive stakes win to her record, which now stands at 10-5-2-1, $329,510. With Eddie Martin Jr. aboard, the Bret Calhoun-trained dark bay was content to run in midpack while Hopehopehope (Whywhywhy) established an early lead in :21 4/5. That one didn't hold the advantage long as Misty Ocean (Stormy Atlantic) quickly pulled around her rival to set the pace through splits of :45 1/5, 1:09 1/5 and 1:21 1/5. Misty Ocean tried to sustain her run down the lane, but Tasha's Miracle (Harlan's Holiday) was closing to her outside and Missit (Ire) (Orpen) was making up ground along the rail. However, none of them could keep up with Storm Mesa, who powered down the center of the track to finish 1 1/4 lengths in front while completing the firm turf event in 1:33 2/5. Sent off the 7-1 fifth choice in the 10-filly field, Storm Mesa paid $17.60, $9.20 and $6.50 while starting the $46.60 exacta ($1). Tasha's Miracle got her head down on the line to take second at 5-1, returning $6.80 and $5.60, while Misty Ocean rounded out the top three at 4-1, giving back $5.20 and ending the $222.20 trifecta ($1). Missit, the 5-2 favorite, followed under the wire another head back and completed the 2-5-10-1 superfecta ($1) that was worth $760.20. Grace Anatomy (Aldebaran), Bel Air Sizzle (Unusual Heat), Sensational Love (War Chant), Hopehopehope, Seattle Smooth (Quiet American) and Mini Do (Hold for Gold) rounded out the order of finish after Comeback Queen (GB) (Nayef) was scratched. Storm Mesa needed six starts to record her first win, garnering a maiden special weight at Fair Grounds on March 13, and hasn't lost since. Following that maiden score she captured an allowance at Lone Star Park by 8 1/2 lengths, added a 13 1/2-length victory in the Cinemine S. to her line and made her graded debut a winning one at Prairie Meadows when annexing the Iowa Oaks (G3) last out. Bred by M & N Mazzoni, Storm Mesa sold for $80,000 at last year's OBS April two-year-old sale. The dark bay is out of the Pleasant Colony mare Narjis Flower, who is also the dam of a yearling filly by Toccet and a 2008 colt by Eurosilver. Narjis Flower's dam is Irish highweight Flowing (El Gran Senor).
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