LATE RUN spurs Silver State to Oaklawn Handicap win.
HOT SPRINGS — When his jockey asked, the winner answered with a response that has become habitual.
Silver State stalked three front-runners nearly the length of the stretch and passed them in the final strides to win the Grade I, $1 million Oaklawn Handicap before an estimated crowd of 8,000 at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort on Saturday.
Co-owner Willis Horton of Marshall watched on his 81st birthday as Silver State, a 4-year-old colt by Hard Spun, won his fifth consecutive race. Silver State is trained by Steve Asmussen, a member of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.
“The Hortons owning half this horse with Winchell [Thoroughbreds] and knowing how important Oaklawn is to them and how important the Hortons are to Oaklawn, what a great birthday present for him,” Asmussen said.
8Silver -mile race State’s came win by in a half the 1 /
1 length over Fearless, who finished 1 length in front of third-place Express Train, in 1:49.56. Owendale finished fourth, 31/4 lengths behind the winner.
Winning jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. said he was not surprised by Silver State’s late response.
“I was really happy with the position he was in,” Santana said. “When I asked him to go, he responded really good. He was a horse that was really comfortable in the position we were in.”
Warrior’s Charge led the field of eight through the opening quarter-mile in 22.73, 11/2 lengths ahead of second-place Express Train, with Fearless a head further back. The winner was in fifth, 6 1/2 lengths off the pace.
Warrior’s Charge continued to lead through the half in 47.06, with Fearless, Express Train and Silver Prospector bunched in a pack 4 lengths ahead of a group that included Silver State.
By three-quarters, led by
Warrior’s Charge in 1:11.67, Express Train was in second, half a length off the lead and a head in front of Silver Prospector. Silver State was in seventh, but within 33/4 lengths of the lead.
Warrior’s Charge maintained his lead into the head of the stretch but would fade shortly thereafter and finish fifth. Silver Prospector also looked like a contender to win as the field turned for the wire but finished a neck behind Warrior’s Charge.
Fearless was in sixth at the head of the stretch but just 2 lengths behind the leader. Fearless, a 5-year-old gelded son of Ghostzapper, is trained by Todd Pletcher. He won the Grade II Gulfstream Park Mile in Hallandale
Beach, Fla., on Feb. 27 in his previous start. His jockey, Irad Ortiz Jr., said he thought he was on the winner in the Oaklawn Handicap.
“I did,” he said. “He just got beat.”
Silver State moved toward the middle of the track near the 1/8th pole and briefly ran abreast and outside of a wall of five other contenders, but he charged past with 110 yards left and sealed his victory.
“The horse has been training really well,” Asmussen said. “He figured out winning. I think what we saw in the two races here previously, he chose to win. They were very competitive just like today, and I think that’s made all the difference.”