Wolf Man Rocket, Promise Me Silver capture Oaklawn stakes

Promise Me Silver continues to impress in three-year-old filly sprint races (Oaklawn/Coady Photography) Frank Fletcher Racing Operations Inc.’s Wolf Man Rocket (Mineshaft) rallied to break his maiden going away in Saturday’s $100,000 Northern Spur at Oaklawn Park, taking the one-mile stakes for three-year-olds by 1 3/4 lengths. The Bob Baffert-trained colt finished second in first two outings versus maiden special weight rivals at Santa Anita before delivering under Victor Espinoza, stopping the teletimer in 1:36 2/5. In the $100,000 Instant Racing for three-year-old fillies, Robert and Myrna Luttrell’s homebred Promise Me Silver (Silver City) remained unbeaten with another dominating performance in the six-furlong sprint, scoring by 2 1/4 lengths with regular rider Cliff Berry. The Bret Calhoun-trained lass has now won seven straight and could be headed to the seven-furlong Eight Belles (G3) on the May 1 Kentucky Oaks undercard at Churchill Downs. Wolf Man Rocket rated a few lengths off the pace as Hillbilly Royalty (Langfuhr) showed the way on a short lead through splits of :23 1/5, :46 4/5 and 1:11. The Kentucky-bred advanced into contention while four wide on the far turn and wore down the pacesetter in deep stretch.

Wolf Man Rocket paid $5.40 to win as the 8-5 second choice among seven foes.
Hillbilly Royalty was the slight 8-5 favorite and easily held second, seven
lengths clear of Poseidon’s Way (Stormy Atlantic) in third.

Bred by Tony Holmes and Walter Zent, Wolf Man Rocket initially sold for
$65,000 as a 2013 Keeneland September yearling before commanding $550,000 from
his connections at the OBS April two-year-old sale the following spring.

The chestnut is out of the winning Kelly Pond (Deputy Minister), a
half-sister to Grade 1 winner Talinum (Alydar).

Promie Me Silver stalked a couple of lengths back in fifth through an opening
quarter-mile in :21 3/5 and edged closer rounding the far turn, 1 1/4 lengths
behind after a half-mile of :45 2/5.

She accelerated to the fore entering the stretch drive and drew off with
ease, finishing up in 1:10. The 4-5 favorite paid $3.60.

The Texas-bred Promise Me Silver broke her maiden over state-bred rivals at
Lone Star Park last May and easily captured the Debutante at Churchill Downs in
her second outing a month later. After being freshened five months, she
concluded her juvenile campaign with resounding wins in the Texas Stallion
(fillies division) at Retama Park and Letellier Memorial at Fair Grounds.

The gray opened 2015 with her closest decision to date, a neck win in the
Janauary 15 Dixie Belle at Oaklawn Park, and was exiting a 9 3/4-length tally in
the restricted Two Altazano at Sam Houston on February 14.

With the $60,000 payday, Promise Me Silver increased her bankroll to
$319,355.

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