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Metropolitan heroics from Silver Train
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Silver Train is now a two-time Grade 1 winner
(Uli Seit/Horsephotos.com) |
Buckram Oak Farm's SILVER TRAIN (Old Trieste) worked hard to dispose of the
stubborn Mass Media (Touch Gold) in upper stretch and then dug down deep to
repel a stout Sun King (Charismatic) in the final strides, courageously
capturing Monday's
$600,000 Metropolitan H. (G1)
in a huge performance fitting
for such a prestigious event. Winless in two starts since taking the Breeders'
Cup Sprint (G1), the Richard Dutrow-trained Silver Train recaptured his
top-class form in his return to Belmont Park, finishing the mile over the fast
track in 1:34 1/5 with Edgar Prado up."I haven't seen a horse of this caliber love a track so much," Dutrow said.
"He just loves this track, and that's great for us. He can do anything."
A slight favorite in the seven-horse field at 2-1, the four-year-old closely
tracked the pace in second as Mass Media set fast splits in :22 3/5, :44 4/5 and
1:08 4/5. Silver Train launched his move for the lead leaving the far turn, but
Mass Media proved to be a resolute foe, dueling determinedly with his rival
before grudgingly giving way. With Prado applying left-handed pressure, Silver
Train momentarily appeared home free, but Sun King came calling in deep stretch
with a flying finish. The runner-up ran out of room at the wire, settling for
second by a short head behind the ultra-game winner.
"He tries so hard," Prado explained. "I knew it was going to be close, but my
horse was still running."
The dark bay colt paid $6.60, $3.50 and $2.90 and keyed the $48.40 exacta
with the near 7-1 Sun King, who returned $6.30 and $4.80. It was 2 3/4 lengths
back to the 6-1 Mass Media, who gave back $5 after finishing 4 1/2 lengths clear
of fourth-placer Bandini (Fusaichi Pegasus), who secured a forwardly placed
position during the early stages as the 2-1 second favorite but offered no
response in the stretch. Next across the wire came Wilko (Awesome Again), Sir
Greeley (Mr. Greeley) and New York Hero (Partner's Hero). The 4-2-1 trifecta
totaled $194.
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Out of the multiple stakes-placed Ridden in Thestars (Cormorant), Silver
Train was purchased for $140,000 as a yearling at the 2003 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky
July sale and became Thoroughbred racing's newest millionaire on Monday,
increasing his career earnings to $1,127,345 from a 14-5-3-3 line. Bred in
Kentucky by Joe Mulholland Sr., Joe Mulholland Jr., et al, he counts an unnamed
yearling colt by High Yield and a 2006 filly by Johannesburg as half-siblings.
Besides the Breeders' Cup Sprint, Silver Train also captured the one-mile
Jerome H. (G2) at Belmont last season. He's placed in the Amsterdam S. (G2) and Lite
the Fuse S.
Dutrow said he wants to try the 1 1/4-mile Suburban H. (G1) at Belmont on
July 1 next.
"I don't know why he wouldn't get a mile and a quarter," Dutrow said. "I
guess I'll find out at the eighth pole."
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