Silver Is Best and jockey David Moran. (Michael Burns)
Chris Lomon, Woodbine
TORONTO, Ont.— Silver Is Best struck stakes gold in the $100,000 Bull Page, a 6 ½-furlong main track event for Ontario-sired 2-year-old colts and geldings, Sunday at Woodbine.
Last time out, Silver Is Best was a disappointing sixth in the Simcoe Stakes on August 24. This time, it was the exact opposite outcome for the Bill Tharrenos trainee.
It was stablemate and Simcoe Stakes victor Big Bold and First who broke on top, but the bay gelding was quickly engaged by King Ronin. The two pacesetters threw down the gauntlet early, taking their four rivals through an opening quarter in :22.44, as Silver Is Best settled into fourth along the backstretch.
Big Bold and First and King Ronin continued to match strides after a half in :45.90, but first-time starter B the King glided up to the duo around the turn for home and then seized command. Silver Is Best, under David Moran, picked up the chase, but had plenty of work to do to collar the new leader.
Silver Is Best, 1 ½ lengths behind B the King at the stretch call, continued to grind away and was able to wrest the lead from his rival with less than 75 yards to the wire.
At the finish, Silver Is Best was 2 ¼ lengths on top. Bank On Big Winner, another Tharrenos trainee, was six lengths behind B the King for third. Big Bold and First was fourth.
The final time was 1:18.78.
“It (the trip) was perfect,” said Moran. “We thought he would win his last race and for whatever reason, it didn’t happen for him. He kicked in nice today. He was actually much more relaxed pre-race and left the gate really good. I just waited to get clear and he kicked in like we thought he could.
“When he works and he has one sitting on his outside or inside, he will just drag you past them. He just loves to run.”
Tharrenos was happy to see his young pupil, owned by Michael Coll, back in the winner’s circle.
“I was a little shocked, to tell you the truth,” said Tharrenos, of the off-the-board Simcoe finish. “We have been teaching him to relax and finish up and that’s the way it set up today. I was just proud of the horse. He’s a pretty anxious horse. He was anxious last time in the paddock. Today, he was a little more mature. These youngsters, they can blow a race pretty early at the start or in the paddock. But it all worked out today.”
It was the first stakes success for the bay son of Signature Red out of the Scat Daddy mare Scatter the Silver, who is now 2-0-1 from four starts.
The gelding, bred by Howie Walton, was a $23,000 (CDN) purchase at the 2024 Canadian Premier Yearling Sale.
Carlington White is the groom.
Silver Is Best, the 3-1 second choice, paid $8.40 for the win.
