Silver State Makes It Six in a Row in Met Mile
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Photo: Skip Dickstein
Ricardo Santana Jr. celebrates aboard Silver State in the Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park
Through the course of five straight increasingly demanding wins, Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing's Silver State did not generate much attention on the national scene.
But trainer Steve Asmussen did not fret in the least about it.
Those starts, capped by a victory in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2), were all part of a plan that came to fruition in a very big way June 5 at Belmont Park.
The 4-year-old son of Hard Spun picked an incredibly opportune moment to take another step forward and turn in the best race of his career as he surged along the rail to post a length victory over By My Standards in the $1,000,000 Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan Handicap (G1), giving Asmussen three wins in the last four editions of the stallion-making test.
"He's a Met Mile winner. That's what he is," Asmussen said. "We built it up to this point to get him in the shape he is today, and that will get him the credit he deserves. That's a great part of racing. You have to earn it, and that's what he did today."
Silver State surely earned his first dose of grade 1 laurels as he upended a field that included Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) and Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) winner Knicks Go , the 4-5 favorite, and grade 1 winner Mischevious Alex .
"The Met Mile is an extremely significant win and one of the great races in American racing. This is six wins in a row for him," Asmussen said. "He is just an absolutely beautiful Stonestreet homebred that Mr. Horton and Ron Winchell purchased and have campaigned. Their patience to allow him to get to this level was perfect."
Aside from being the sixth straight success for Silver State, the victory under jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. lifted his career record to seven wins in 11 starts. With $1,765,094 in earnings, his only unplaced effort is a seventh in the 2020 TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) at 1 3/16 miles. In his winning streak, he advanced from seven furlongs to 1 1/8 miles, with stakes wins in his last two tries at Oaklawn Park.
"Silver State's one-turn races last fall were brilliant. Ricardo knows the horse and has a great deal of confidence in him and it's obviously warranted," Asmussen said. "He went to the wire in his Oaklawn races like he was trying to win."
Silver State charges home to win the Metropolitan Handicap
To no one's surprise, Korea Racing Authority's Knicks Go darted out to the lead in the Met Mile, but what was surprising was the way the multiple grade 1 winner weakened in the stretch after leading through splits of :23.36 and :46.31. He faded to fourth at the wire, 3 1/4 lengths behind.
For the 5-year-old son of Paynter trained by Brad Cox, it was his first start since he finished fourth in the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) Feb. 20.
"His last two races have not been good and not what we expected. I'm going to say he's better suited by two turns after them," Cox said. "We really loved the trip. You couldn't ask for a better one. He was on the lead and they weren't flying around there. I was concerned with the one turn, and the combination of that and coming back from the Middle East came into play. I'm disappointed, but we'll take him back home and regroup."
Silver State was fourth after a half-mile in the Met Mile and when Mischevious Alex and By My Standards took wide runs at Knicks Go, it allowed Santana to motor along a clear inside path to grab a narrow lead at the eighth pole and pull away to win in 1:35.45.
Allied Racing Stable and Spendthrift Farm's By My Standards, a Goldencents 5-year-old trained by Bret Calhoun, was second by three-quarters of a length over Cash is King and LC Racing's Mischevious Alex, an Into Mischief colt trained by Saffie Joseph Jr.
"He finished with a head of steam, and he just needed a little bit more ground," Calhoun said.
Bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, Silver State is out of the Empire Maker mare Supreme and was bought for $450,000 by Winchell Thoroughbreds from the Eaton Sales consignment at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
He is the fourth foal from his dam, all of whom are winners. She has also produced a 2-year-old Candy Ride colt named Candy Drive and a yearling Uncle Mo colt.
And, she also has the honor of helping to add to Asmussen's sparkling stretch of success in the Met Mile. He won the 2018 edition with Bee Jersey and took the race in 2019 with future champion sprinter Mitole .
"This is a great race to have that kind of streak in," he said.
(L-R): Steve Asmussen shares a moment with assistant Scott Blasi