Hark Theangelssing has winning tune in Stormy Blues
Bags first stakes victory
Frank Vespe
June 14, 2026
Trainer Michael Trombetta sent out two runners in Sunday’s $100,000 Stormy Blues Stakes for 3-year-old fillies sprinting on the turf.
Both rated a look.
Just Philtored, whom he trains for Red White and Blue Racing and London Reid Thoroughbreds, had a stakes win and two other good tries from three turf outings and seemed to offer a speed option. And Hark Theangelssing had a pair of turf wins from four outings, including a late-running fourth in the Stewart Manor at Aqueduct last November.
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But the question on everyone’s mind was: would Only for Now, a Not This Time filly who was a flashy debut winner for trainer Miguel Clement, simply prove too tough for all of them?
“I kind of felt like I had a couple of chances,” Trombetta said. “I did, and not knowing how Miguel’s horse was doing with only one race, right? It’s kind of hard to really see what they’re all about, but obviously if he brought the horse down, he really liked it.”
Gerrards Cross, returning to the races for the first time since January and carrying Jeiron Barbosa on her back, broke quickly and zoomed to the early lead with the Trombetta duo, along with The Town Tempter, in closest attendance. Gerrards Cross led by 1 ½ lengths after an opener in 22.19 seconds.
The half-mile went in 44.73 seconds, with Gerrards Cross still up top, and in the lane, the Trombetta pair went to the attack. Just Philtored, with Mychel Sanchez in the irons, took the short way, trying to creep through along the rail.
Hark Theangelssing, with Ismerio Villalobos up, looped outside the embattled leader.
For a moment, Just Philtored had an inviting hole and appeared set to go through it. But as Hark Theangelssing came up outside, Gerrards Cross suddenly ducked back down towards the rail. Though the two fillies did not seem to bump, it did seem to take some of the starch out of Just Philtored, whose run petered out as she finished fourth.
“I got to go back and watch it, but it looked like it got a little tight,” Trombetta said. “I don’t know whether she got intimidated or not, but you know, she had her chance to pop through there, but she just didn’t do it.”
Hark Theangelssing, on the other hand, continued to battle and gradually wore down the leader to win by a neck in 1:02.04 for 5 ½ furlongs on firm turf, with Gerrards Cross holding second by a head over late-on-the-scene Tap Into Grace, who was two lengths in front of Just Philtored.
Hark Theangelssing paid $24.40 to win and topped an exacta that returned $102.40 for a one-dollar wager.
Only for Now, the 4-5 post time favorite, was an even fifth.
The win came in Hark Theangelssing’s first start of 2026 and improved her record to 3-for-5. It was her first stakes win.
Hark Theangelssing, bred in Virginia by the late R. Larry Johnson and owned by his estate, will likely make her next start in her home state, Trombetta said. Her 2025 sojourn to Colonial Downs included her maiden score and a fourth-place finish – to Just Philtored – in the Dolley Madison Stakes.
And then?
“Maybe she’ll warrant a start at Saratoga somewhere along the line,” the trainer added.
NOTES The win was the third of the day for Trombetta, who also scored with And Sum in an allowance contest and Suremeanttobe in a second-level allowance/optional claimer, both with Mychel Sanchez up… It was the first win of the meet for Villalobos, snapping a 32-race losing skein… Two-year-old Our Charm, a Goldencents colt making his debut for trainer Brittany Russell and owner-breeder Glassman Racing, crushed his seven rivals, winning by 5 ½ lengths in 59.92 for five furlongs on a fast main track…
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