BY STEVE KOCH

Florida-bred Sophia’s Storm is the 8-5 second choice in a six-horse field for Wednesday evening’s $50,000 La Verendrye Stakes at Assiniboia Downs, a six-furlong race for fillies and mares.

The 6-year-old bay mare, bred by Just For Fun Stable, Inc., enters the race in strong form with three wins from seven starts in 2025. The daughter of Handsome Mike out of Sophia’s Pride has earned $35,567 this year, winning at Tampa Bay Downs on March 23, capturing an allowance race at Assiniboia on May 21, and taking the Red Berry overnight stakes at Assiniboia on June 4. She also recorded a second-place finish at Tampa Bay Downs on April 12.

Sophia’s Storm’s career record shows 11 wins from 39 starts with total earnings of $250,577.

The Florida-bred will carry 123 pounds under jockey Sven Balroop and is trained by Steve Keplin, Jr. She is owned by Arnason Farms, Parker Wallette and James Keplin.

Sophia’s Storm faces stiff competition from race favorite Burrow Down at 4-5 odds. The Kentucky-bred 6-year-old mare has won 10 of 30 career starts with earnings of $259,576. She enters off a victory in the RedTail Landing Handicap at Century Mile on May 31, her only start of 2025.

The La Verendrye Stakes field also includes Distinctive Deb from Washington at 12-1 odds, Maryland-bred Damn the Torpedoes at 15-1, Manitoba-bred Mechanic Susie at 10-1, and Kentucky-bred Dynamic Strike at 25-1.

Post time for the La Verendrye Stakes is 9:25 p.m. EST.

Parts of this article are drafted by Claude.ai

Return to the June 24 issue of Wire to Wire