Pensioned Versatile Stallion Stormy Atlantic Dies at 32

Bridlewood Farm announced March 17 that pensioned stallion Stormy Atlantic, who became a stalwart on Hill 'n' Dale Farms' roster in Central Kentucky, died at 32 because of infirmities of old age. First reported by Thoroughbred Daily News, the son of Storm Cat has been buried at Bridlewood, near Ocala, Fla. Stormy Atlantic was bred and raced by the late Arthur Appleton, the founder of Bridlewood Farm, which is now owned by John and Leslie Malone. The colt found his best stride at 4 when he won six of 13 starts and captured the Havre de Grace Stakes at Pimlico Race Course and the Damitrius Stakes at Delaware Park. He retired with a 6-2-1 record from 15 starts and earned $148,126. He entered stud at Bridlewood in 1999 and stood there until he was relocated to Hill 'n' Dale for the 2003 breeding season. He ranked ninth among the leading North American freshman sires of 2002 and was the co-fourth-leading sire that year by number of stakes winners with three. He was the leading freshman sire in Florida with $566,126 in progeny earnings. He remained among the top 12 of his sire class through his second-crop and third-crop years. Hill 'n' Dale president John Sikura said Stormy Atlantic's pedigree made him a solid stallion candidate. He was out of the 1990 Santa Anita Oaks (G1) winner Hail Atlantis, who is a granddaughter of 1965 champion 2-year-old filly Moccasin, who also was recognized as Horse of the Year by the Thoroughbred Racing Association and Turf and Sports Digest. Within three generations just under the pedigree of Hail Atlantis is listed 42 black-type stakes performers, which include 29 stakes winners. "He legitimized the way we look at stallion prospects. He won some minor stakes at 4, but I thought he had big promise and we brought him to Kentucky," Sikura said. "He became a champion as a sire of 2-year-olds, was a top 10 sire multiple times, and became an important broodmare sire. "He was a really good, solid sire that got winners on dirt, turf, and all-weather. That really opens up the marketplace," he continued. "We later syndicated him and got strong support from important breeders. We had international support. He was just a rare horse that out-punched his weight and continued to do it." Stormy Atlantic became the leading sire of North American 2-year-olds in 2006, the year Stormello won the Hollywood Futurity (G1) and Norfolk Breeders' Cup Stakes (G2). He rose into the top 10 on the general leading sires list for 2006 and held that position again in 2008 and 2011. A prolific sire of stakes winners, Stormy Atlantic averaged 12 stakes winners a year over a 10-year period and would eventually sire 112 career black-type winners. Stormy Atlantic was pensioned in 2021 and returned to Bridlewood for his retirement. His top progeny included champions Stormy Liberal, 2018 Eclipse champion turf male; Up With the Birds, 2013 Canadian Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old male; El Tormenta, 2019 Canadian champion turf male; Conquest Typhoon, 2014 Canadian champion 2-year-old male; Leonnatus Anteas, 2006 Canadian champion 2-year-old male; Maritimer, 2011 Canadian champion 2-year-old male; Storm Allied, Puerto Rican champion imported 3-year-old; Dixie Wave, Peruvian champion grass horse; and Dahy, 2013 Mexican Horse of the Year. He also sired seven-time graded stakes winner and millionaire Get Stormy. As a broodmare sire, Stormy Atlantic has been represented by 86 black-type winners and six champions, including Artie's Princess, 2020 Canadian champion female sprinter; Atlantic Hurricane, 2011 Canadian champion female sprinter; Curlin's Voyage, Canadian champion 2-year-old filly in 2019 and champion 3-year-old filly in 2020; and Time Warp, champion middle distance runner in Hong Kong in 2018.