Silent Tactic, Search Party win Southwest, Martha Washington

Trainer Mark Casse and jockey Cristian Torres teamed up to sweep Friday’s $1 million Southwest (G3) and $300,000 Martha Washington S. at Oaklawn Park with Silent Tactic and Search Party.

The Southwest and Martha Washington respectively serve as steppingstones on the Road to the Kentucky Derby and Road to the Kentucky Oaks. Each 1 1/16-mile race awarded 20-10-6-4-2 qualifying points to the top five finishers.

Southwest (G3)

Facing 11 rivals in the Southwest, Silent Tactic was overlooked at 12-1 despite entering off a fast-finishing runner-up effort to stablemate Strategic Risk in the 1 1/16-mile Smarty Jones S. at Oaklawn. The tables were turned in the Southwest; while Strategic Risk failed to fire, Silent Tactic delivered a career-best performance.

The Smarty Jones unfolded with a slow pace detrimental to Silent Tactic’s stretch-running style. In contrast, the Southwest featured a contested tempo set by D’code, who carved out splits of :23.52, :47.52, and 1:12.81 while closely pursued by Buetane, Rancho Santa Fe, and—eventually—Soldier N Diplomat.

Soldier N Diplomat unleashed a menacing bid around the far turn and appeared to have a shot at victory until Silent Tactic emerged on the scene. Closing fast from 11th place, the son of Tacitus stormed past the leaders in the final furlong to dominate by 3 1/4 lengths, hitting the wire in 1:44.85.

Soldier N Diplomat outfinished Buetane by a head for second place, with Rancho Santa Fe another nose behind in fourth. Circle Tap rounded out the top five, followed by Liberty National, Sleepingonfreedom, D’code, Spirit of Royal, Strategic Risk and Baytown Dreamer. Reclamation was eased after dropping far off the early pace.

Bred by Don Alberto Corporation and owned by John C. Oxley, Silent Tactic has accumulated 25 Kentucky Derby (G1) qualification points, placing him atop the latest leaderboard.

“The last race, the Smarty Jones, it was his first start ever on the dirt and only had one easy breeze,” said Casse. “It’s interesting. When I talked to Mr. Oxley last week, he said: ‘What do you think?’ I said: ‘Honestly, I think Silent Tactic is training better than Strategic Risk. So, we’ll see.’ We’re watching the race and I could see Strategic Risk was struggling, so then I started looking for Silent Tactic and I could see he was coming. He came strong.”

Martha Washington S.

Whereas Silent Tactic enjoyed an unencumbered rally to win the Southwest, Search Party had to fight her way through traffic to take the Martha Washington.

Coming off a six-length maiden special weight win over the track and distance of the Martha Washington, Search Party started as the 4-1 third choice in an eight-horse field. For the first half-mile, she rated along the rail in third place, saving ground behind splits of :23.10 and :47.83.

Rounding the final turn, Search Party lacked racing room, and she was shuffled back to fifth place with five-sixteenths of a mile remaining. She was behind a wall of horses approaching the top of the stretch, but then found a seam and surged through to challenge.

A four-way battle for supremacy ensued. The outcome was uncertain until the final strides, when Search Party outkicked late-running Newton Pike to prevail by a neck in 1:45.56.

“Great filly. She’s very versatile. She can run on the pace, stalk. Great filly to ride,” said Torres. “She responded today. She showed up. I knew I had a ton of horse underneath me. I was just waiting for the hole to open up. As soon as it opened up, I asked her and she responded.”

Pacesetter Knickleandime finished half a length back in third place and a neck ahead of Maximum Offer. There was a gap of 5 3/4 lengths back to fifth-place finisher Hit Parade, followed by Spitfire and Grace Is Free. Counting Stars, the 3-5 favorite, gave way around the far turn and was eased to the finish line.

Owned and bred by Tracy Farmer, Search Party is a daughter of Gun Runner. She debuts in sixth place on the Kentucky Oaks (G1) qualification leaderboard with 20 points.