Sterling Silver takes an allowance optional claimer July 29 at Saratoga (NYRA/Coglianese)
NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y.— Mark T. Anderson’s multiple graded stakes-placed New York-bred Sterling Silver worked a half-mile in 48.11 seconds Friday over Big Sandy in her first breeze back since being disqualified from victory and placed second in the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom on October 1 at Belmont at the Big A.
“She’s doing super. It was a very easy breeze. It looked like she was just galloping,” trainer Tom Albertrani said. “She worked in 46 and change before the last race, so this was nearly two seconds slower. She’s in great form.”
The 4-year-old Cupid grey crossed the wire first by four lengths in the Gallant Bloom, besting the Jose Lezcano-piloted Headland, who was a half-length in front of the Junior Alvarado-piloted Caramel Swirl. To secure the victory, Sterling Silver, with Hall of Famer Javier Castellano up, rallied from an outside position and crossed the path of a retreating Beguine and into the path of the onrushing Caramel Swirl, who was also squeezed by the pacesetting Headland inching off the rail.
Following a stewards’ inquiry and allowed claims of foul from Alvarado against both Castellano and Lezcano, a double DQ saw Caramel Swirl elevated to victory with Sterling Silver and Headland demoted to second and third, respectively.
Last year, Sterling Silver finished a distant third in the Gallant Bloom en route to a ninth-place effort in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Keeneland. This year, she will stay local and target either the listed $135,000 Pumpkin Pie at seven-furlongs on October 28 or the 6 1/2-furlong Iroquois against fellow state-breds on October 29.
“We tried it [the Breeders’ Cup] last year and we just don’t know if she’s up to that caliber. She ran really well in her last start and it’s a shame she got disqualified, but we just thought the Breeders’ Cup might be over reaching a little bit,” Albertrani said.
Albertrani said the popular grey, who earned a career-best 98 Beyer Speed Figure in the Gallant Bloom, is expected to return for a 5-year-old campaign.
“I believe she’ll stay in training another year. It looks like she’s just getting better,” Albertrani said.
Bred by Mallory Mort and Karen Mort, Sterling Silver, out of the Distorted Humor mare Sheet Humor, is a dual state-bred stakes winner with scores last season in the Franklin Square at the Big A and Bouwerie at Belmont.
Itsakeyper, co-owned and bred by Albertrani, is listed at 20-1 on the morning line for Saturday’s $125,000 Floral Park, a six-furlong outer turf sprint for fillies and mares 3-years-old and upward.
Albertrani said the 7-year-old New York-bred daughter of Brilliant Speed, who sports a record of 38-5-4-5 for purse earnings of $296,940, could potentially stay in the race should it come off the turf due to expected inclement weather Saturday.
“She’s doing really well,” Albertrani said. “She ran well on the sealed track once before, so I wouldn’t hesitate. My other option is to run her in the New York-bred allowance race on Thursday, if the race goes.”
Itsakeyper’s five wins have all come on turf, including back-to-back claiming scores this summer at Belmont. She enters Saturday’s test from rallying fourth in a state-bred optional-claiming tilt on September 17 here.
