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Silver Tree gets his Fourstardave Peter Vegso's homebred SILVER TREE (Hennessy) surged to the front leaving the furlong marker and edged clear to a three-quarters of a length tally in the $150,000 Fourstardave H. (G2) over the firm Saratoga turf on Sunday. A runner-up in this event in both 2004 and 2005, the seven-year-old appeared to be outmoved for a slight moment in the lane but found more late, reaching the wire in 1:41 4/5 for the 1 1/16 miles. Trained by Bill Mott and ridden by Kent Desormeaux, the near 7-2 third choice keyed the $94.50 exacta and $445.50 trifecta (5-4-10), while paying $8.70, $4.60 and $3.30. "If you can teach every horse to race like him, everyone would have a luxury of life," Desormeaux enthused. "He's just the consummate professional. He just lunged towards the wire. He was showing the bottom of his feet striding to the wire. It was so much fun." Drum Major (Dynaformer) swung four wide entering the final turn and closed strongly to earn second, one length clear of his nearest foe. The 17-1 longshot was good for $13.60 and $6.90. Host (Chi) (Hussonet) found his stride too late, settling 1 3/4 lengths clear in the third spot. The 3-1 second choice paid $3.40. Woodlander (Forestry), Giant Basil (Giant's Causeway), 9-5 choice Brilliant (War Chant) and Fishy Advice (Woodman) rounded out the order of finish. Niagara Causeway (Giant's Causeway), Giant Wrecker (Giant's Causeway), main-track only entrant Evening Attire (Black Tie Affair [Ire]) and Silent Roar (Unbridled's Song), who captured the Oceanport S. (G3) at Monmouth Park, were withdrawn. With this seventh stakes victory to his credit, Silver Tree improved his record to 34-12-6-5, $1,495,149. He owns stakes wins in each of the past five years, having taken the 2003 Virginia Derby, 2004 Bernard Baruch H. (G2), 2005 Tropical Turf H. (G3), 2006 Cherokee River Stables Turf Classic S. and 2007 Appleton H. (G3) and Caesar Rodney S. Silver Tree has also placed 11 times at the stakes level, including the Bernard Baruch (2005), as well as a third in the 2004 Shadwell Turf Mile S. (G1). He holds the distinction of being Hall of Famer Jerry Bailey's final mount. On that occasion, in the 2006 Sunshine Millions Turf, he was just caught by eventual turf champion Miesque's Approval. "A year ago at this time, he was acting a little arthritic," Mott said. "We turned him out and sent him to Mr. Vegso's farm. His farm manager did a great job with him. He's come back like a trooper. He doesn't know he's seven." Bred by his owner in Florida, Silver Tree is out of the multiple stakes-placed With Approval mare Blue Begum, making him a full brother to multiple Grade 3 winner Orchard Park (Hennessy). He is the latest product of a female line that has left an indelible mark on American racing. His granddam is a half-sister to Tiller (*Herbager), a titan of the turf in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and Endear (Alydar), a Grade 1 queen who earned lasting fame as the dam of two-time Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) hero Lure (Danzig).
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