Silver State stretched his win streak to five in Saturday’s $1 million Oaklawn H. (G2), earning his first graded stakes triumph in the process. Ricardo Santana Jr. was up on the four-year-old colt for trainer Steve Asmussen.
A narrow winner of the Fifth Season S. and Essex H. at Oaklawn Park in his two previous outings, Silver State left the starting gate as the 9-2 co-third choice on Saturday. He rallied wide to edge 5-2 Fearless, who advanced up the rail to challenge in the final furlong, by a half-length on the wire.
Silver State completed the 1 1/8-mile distance in 1:49.56. He’s owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing.
Warrior’s Charge sped forward to show the way from the break, establishing fractions in :22.73, :47.06, and 1:11.67 on a short lead while being chased by 19-10 favorite Express Train. Silver State was unhurried during the early stages, launching his bid about a half-mile from home on the far turn, and he took the overland route into the stretch.
It was an exciting finish, with multiple runners having a viable chance in midstretch, and Silver State finished fastest to prevail.
Fearless wound up a length better than Express Train, who was followed by Owendale, Warrior’s Charge, Silver Prospector, Guest Suite, and Rated R Superstar under the wire.
By Hard Spun, Silver State was on last year’s Kentucky Derby trail before being sidelined after an unplaced finish in the Louisiana Derby (G2). He returned from a seven-month layoff to convincingly win an entry-level allowance at Keeneland, and concluded 2020 with another easy win over conditioned allowance foes at Churchill Downs in late November.
Stonestreet Farm bred the bay colt, and Silver State is the first stakes winner out of the stakes-winning Empire Maker mare Supreme, a half-sister to 2001 Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos.
Silver State has now earned $1,230,094 from a 10-6-2-1 record.
