Peter Vegso’s homebred SILVER TREE (Hennessy) entered Saturday’s $85,400
Florida Cup Turf Classic S. still seeking his first win of the year. The
Bill Mott trainee exited the about nine-furlong firm turf test a two-length
victor and in the process improved his record to 26-8-6-5 with $1,106,380 in
lifetime earnings.
With Eddie Castro aboard, Silver Tree steadily made his way up the rail as
Lord Robyn (Robyn Dancer) carved out early fractions of :24 1/5, :48 1/5 and
1:11 4/5. Rallying to the outside, the chestnut six-year-old passed the
pacesetter and all others, going on to stop the clock in 1:48 2/5 as the 3-5
favorite, returning $3.20, $2.40 and $2.10.
Icy Atlantic (Stormy Atlantic) held Ballonenostrikes (Lost Soldier) to third
by 1 1/4 lengths, paying $2.60 and $2.10 at 5-2. Show gave back $2.10 at 16-1
and the exotics paid $8.20 (exacta), $41 (trifecta) and $167.60 (1-11-9-12
superfecta). Be My Buddy (Belong to Me), Awol Soldier (Lost Soldier), Admiral
Lance (Formal Dinner), Lord Robyn, Guardianofthenorth (Northern Afleet), Attack
the Books (Notebook), Hitthegroundrunnin (Hazaam) and Hal’s Image (Halo’s Image)
rounded out the order of finish.
Silver Tree has now won a stakes race for each of the past four years, starting in
2003 with the Virginia Derby and continuing with the 2004 Bernard Baruch H. (G2)
and last year’s Tropical Turf H. (G3). Included among his 11 black-type placings
are the 2004 Shadwell Turf Mile (G1), two runnings of the Fourstardave H. (G2) and this season’s Sunshine Millions Turf
S., where he ran second by three parts of a length two back.
Vegso said Silver Tree would take a step up for his next start, the
Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (G1) at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day.
“It’s a stretch, but it is worth the shot,” Vegso said. “He looks great.”
The Turf Classic wrapped up the stakes action on Tampa Bay Downs’ fourth
annual Florida Cup Day, which featured six stakes for Florida-breds. Starting
the day off was Padua Stables’ homebred ELECTRIFY (Delaware Township), who
posted a three-length score in the $82,600
Florida Cup Sophomore S. in the 6TH race. Coming out of an off-the-board
finish in the Swale S. (G2) at Gulfstream Park, the Edward Plesa Jr.-trained
chestnut finished seven furlongs on the fast main track in 1:23 2/5 under Abel
Castellano Jr. With the win, he also moved his record to 7-4-1-0 with $199,860
in earnings.
Thorobeam Farm and Henry Mast’s MR. SILVER (Concorde’s Tune) was also coming
out of an off-the-board graded finish but managed to get the half-length win in
the $84,250
Florida Cup Sophomore Turf S. In the process, the three-year-old gray gave
his Plesa and Castellano their second straight stakes for completing 1 1/16
grassy miles in 1:42 3/5. Mr. Silver improved his earnings to $180,230 and his
line now reads 11-4-1-1.
Haras Santa Maria de Araras’ homebred QUELLE SURPRISE (Slew Gin Fizz) was
making her stakes debut in only her third career start in the $84,200
Florida Cup Sophomore Fillies S., but ran like a professional in taking the
seven-furlong main track test by a half-length. With T. D. Houghton aboard, the
Richard Ciardullo Sr.-trained bay miss stopped the teletimer in 1:24. She now
boasts a 3-2-0-0 mark with $58,532 in earnings.
Preferred Pals Stable and Wachtel Stable’s THETACTICS OFDANCE (Tactical
Advantage) earned her second consecutive win while taking the $85,800
Florida Cup Turf Distaff S. with Castro aboard. The Mott-conditioned
five-year-old mare was three-quarters of a length clear of her nearest rival at
the wire and ran 8 1/2-furlongs on the green in 1:42 3/5. After earning her
first score, the dark bay now owns $237,515 in lifetime earnings to go along
with a 21-5-4-3 record.
Timber Side Stables’ NIGHTMARE AFFAIR (Out of Place) was making his
12th-straight stakes start when going in the $84,050
Florida
Cup Sprint S., and recorded his fifth victory against black-type company
when crossing under the 3 1/2 lengths the best. Giving Castro yet another win,
the Manuel Azpurua charge went six furlongs on the dirt in 1:10 1/5, upping his
lifetime record to 37-8-10-9, $474,630.