Silent Poet Sets Woodbine Track Record in Play the King
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Photo: Michael Burns
Silent Poet wins the Play the King Stakes at Woodbine
Stronach Stables' Silent Poet has worked his way up from Woodbine's optional claiming ranks to stakes company, and Aug. 24 the 4-year-old Silent Name gelding earned his first graded score in the CA$205,100 (US$154,399) Play the King Stakes (G2T), making record time for seven furlongs on the E.P. Taylor turf course.
"To me, there's lots of room for improvement," said trainer Nicholas Gonzalez. "They do such a great job over there in the Stronach barns. He was in Ocala (Fla.) over the winter, got gelded, and came back a happy gelding."
Sable Island tried to lead every step of the Play the King, opening the first half-mile with fractions of :22.65 and :44.11. Silent Poet started fourth under jockey Gary Boulanger and moved up into third after the first four furlongs before drawing clear in the stretch. The 5-1 shot got six furlongs in 1:07.08 before hitting the wire in 1:19.22 on a firm course.
Sable Island held for second but was beaten 1 3/4 lengths. The favorite Curlin's Honor was another neck back in third, with El Tormenta, Admiralty Pier, and Carmenootz completing the order of finish.
"We thought that (Sable Island) and Carmenootz would definitely be up there and I thought I'd just be tracking, and it came out exactly like that," said Boulanger. "I had a little seam about the three-sixteenth pole, and he shot right through there and he played all the way down the lane. There's another gear there, unbelievably."
The Play the King serves as a local prep for the Sept. 14 Ricoh Woodbine Mile (G1T), a "Win and You're In" challenge race for the Nov. 2 TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) at Santa Anita Park.
"He showed a lot of try last year," Boulanger said. "This year, he's so focused on his job. He's just been a lot of fun to be around. Nick's done a tremendous job with him. I'm just grateful I get to ride him."
From 11 starts, Silent Poet has compiled a 6-3-1 record, with US$301,197 in earnings. His first stakes victory came in the one-mile Vice Regent Stakes in September before he ended his sophomore season with two stakes placings. The Play the King was the second start of the year for the dark bay, who opened his campaign July 21 with a half-length allowance score when dueling throughout 6 1/2 furlongs.
"That first win was just a tuneup and it just proved to us that he was going to another elevation, and you heard the way Gary talked about him," Gonzalez said. "He's just a special horse, and we're just so lucky to have him."
Silent Poet was bred in Ontario by Stronach's Adena Springs. He is the first foal out of the unraced Ghostzapper mare Cara Bella, a half sister to Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Red Bullet. Cara Bella foaled a Broken Vow colt March 13 and was bred back to Mastery .