Pure Silver romps in Adirondack

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » Pure Silver did everything right while winning her first two starts against her fellow New York-breds — including a minor stake at Belmont — both by a length and a half. The question was whether she could translate that promising form to races against open company.

Pure Silver got her chance in Saturday’s co-featured Adiron-

dack Stakes (G2), where she was dispatched as the 3-2 favorite. Taken on early and often by several fillies, the daughter of Mission Impazible shook them all off, turning for home with a one-length advantage. From there she drew off dramatically, passing the eighth pole four lengths clear and crossing under the wire 9½ in front. Time of the race for 6 ½ furlongs over a fast main track was 1 minute, 17.22 seconds.

“She won pretty convincingly,” said winning trainer Todd Pletcher. “She didn’t get away as easily as she normally does, but she made up for it quickly and got to the lead the right way. She kind of ran them off their feet from there.

“It’s been a hard track sometimes to make up a lot of ground on,” Pletcher added. “We knew this filly was naturally fast, and we were going to let her do her thing.”

Southampton Way finished a length better than Wall of Compassion for the runner-up spot. Stainless (who lost considerable

ground stumbling out of the gate), Sly Roxy, Limited View, Proportionately and Di Maria also ran.

Winning jockey John Velazquez, who has ridden Pure Silver in all three of her races, knew what he had under him.

“We expected to be on the lead,” he said. “Once I got to the spot I wanted to be in, I just waited there. She did a good job settling around the turn and finished up really well.”

Southampton Way also had to overcome a lessthan-perfect start. The Into Mischief filly had to gather herself after bobbling at the

break, but managed to stay within hailing distance of the winner into mid-stretch.

“The speed got away from us,” said Horacio DePaz, who conditions the runner-up. “We were worried about [Pure Silver] being able to get out front and just keep going. Our filly tried; she made a good run at the end. She’s just a steady grinder, and she’ll want to go further.”

Pure Silver races for Twin Creeks Racing Stables LLC and was bred in New York by Twin Creeks Farm. The Adirondack winner is now a perfect 3-for- 3 and has earned $217,200.