Silver Timber repeats in Woodford

Silver Timber will look to improve on his sixth in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (Keeneland/Coady Photography) Michael Dubb & High Grade Racing Stable’s SILVER TIMBER (Prime Timber) caught pacesetter Central City (City Place) in deep stretch and went on to post a half-length victory in Saturday’s $100,000 Woodford S. (G3), winning the five-furlong turf affair for the second straight year. The Chad Brown-trained gelding stopped the teletimer over the firm Keeneland course in 1:02 1/5, confirming his status as a top contender for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G2) on November 6. Central City broke running and established early splits in :21 3/5 and :44 2/5 while Silver Timber bided his time in midpack, less than five lengths back of the early leader. Jockey Julien Leparoux asked for run approaching the stretch and Silver Timber responded, rapidly passing rivals on the outside to move into second in upper stretch. The seven-year-old gradually wore down the Central City in the final sixteenth of a mile to record his sixth career stakes win. “They were running very fast in front, and he was comfortable,” Leparoux commented. “He’s got a nice kick at the end so that was good. (Taking over the lead near the finish) was pretty easy; I didn’t really ask him.”

Off as the 4-1 third choice among 11 rivals, Silver Timber paid $10.60, $5.60
and $4.60. Central City, who was nearly 10-1, returned $10.20 and $7.20 after
gamely holding the late-running Due Date (El Prado [Ire) by a head. Due Date
added to spice to the exotics at 44-1 and yielded for $14.20 for the show.
Chamberlain Bridge (War Chant) rallied belatedly for fourth and was followed
under the wire by Ravalo (Mutakddim), Great Attack (Greatness), Yankee Injunity
(Yankee Victor), Atta Boy Roy (Tribunal), In My Corner (Wekiva Springs),
Fiddlers Patriot (Proud Citizen) and 6-5 favorite California Flag (Avenue of
Flags) came next under the wire.

The exotics totaled $110.20 (exacta), $3,023.80 (trifecta) and $9,256.60
(9-3-10-6 superfecta).

Silver Timber captured the Jaipur S. (G3) last year, and he opened 2010 with
consecutive victories in the Shakertown S. (G3), Churchill Downs Turf Sprint
(G3) and Wolf Hill S. He’s also placed in five stakes. The veteran rebounded from a subpar fifth-place
showing as the 3-5 favorite in the August 18 Troy S. and will likely contend for
favoritism in the five-furlong Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs.

“He has the (five-furlong course) record over there (that) he set this
spring,” Brown said of Silver Timber’s next start. “And we’ll be at equal
weight. I think he’s going to be double-tough.”

He’s now earned $677,619 from a 36-13-4-5 line.

Bred in New York by Sez Who Thoroughbreds, the gray is out of the winning
Alwuhush mare River Princess and was purchased for $110,000 as an OBS April
juvenile. Silver Timber counts as half-siblings the stakes-placed
Inrightclassitime (Straight Man) and an unnamed yearling colt by Bandini. River
Princess is herself a daughter of multiple stakes winner Spanish Play (Great
Gladiator), who also produced Grade 3-placed multiple stakes victor Spanish
Decree (War Deputy) as well as the dam of multiple stakes queen Anne’s Purse
(Porto Foricos). Canadian Grade 2 winner River Boat (Regal Classic) is also in
this family.