Silver Tree, Smart and Fancy highlight Delaware undercard

Peter Vegso's homebred SILVER TREE (Hennessy) angled out three wide at the

head of the stretch and held all challengers safely at bay in taking the

$200,600

Caesar Rodney S. at Delaware Park by a measured length

on Sunday. Trained by Bill

Mott and piloted by Edgar Prado, the 3-5 favorite broke well from his inside

post and was never far from the front, as Shake the Bank (Sandpit

[Brz]) led through splits of :24 4/5, :48 1/5 and 1:11 3/5 for the opening six

panels. Approaching the final turn, Prado found a seam for the seven-year-old

and the Florida-bred responded, going clear inside the final furlong and

maintaining a safe margin to the wire. The final time for 1 1/16 miles on

the firm turf was 1:41 3/5, and the winner paid $3.40, $2.40 and $2.10.

Ballast (Ire) (Desert Prince [Ire]) endured a tough trip before rallying for

second. Sent off at 7-1, the second-placer was boxed early, lacked room on the

inside turning for home, and was angled out five wide in the stretch in gaining

second by a nose. Place was worth $6 and $3.80, while the exacta returned $18.

Silent Roar (Unbridled's Song) made a belated run in the final three-sixteenths

to earn the show at 6-1, worth $3.20. The trifecta was good for $44.20. Shake

the Bank held on for fourth, concluding the $145.80 superfecta (1-4-7-13) as the

9-2 second choice, and was trailed by Defer (Danzig), Tune of the Spirit

(Concorde's Tune) and Wood Be Willing (Pulpit). Drum Major (Dynaformer), Yate's

Black Cat (Black Minnaloushe), Morine's Victory (Victory Gallop), Key Event

(Royal Anthem), Woodlander (Forestry), Host (Chi) (Hussonet) and Jet Propulsion

(Double Honor) were withdrawn.

Silver Tree upped his career earnings to $1,405,149 from a 33-11-7-4 lifetime

mark. The chestnut now boasts six career stakes wins, following triumphs in the

Bernard Baruch H. (G2), Appleton H. (G3), Tropical Turf H. (G3), Virginia Derby

and Florida Cup Turf Classic S.

The winner is out of the multiple stakes-placed Blue Begum (With Approval)

and counts multiple Grade 3 hero Orchard Park as a full brother.

In the $101,800

Light Hearted S., Park Avenue Racing Stable's SMART AND FANCY

(Not For Love) collared pacesetter Truly Blushed (Yes It's True) in late stretch

to claim a 1 1/2-length score for trainer Tony Dutrow. The four-year-old miss

saved ground on the inside early and was moving best once clear, completing five

furlongs on the firm turf in :56. The 4-5 favorite paid $3.80, $2.80 and $2.40,

while topping the $27.20 exacta, $90.20 trifecta and $1,701.40 superfecta

(9-2-10-8) under Ramon Dominguez.  

Truly Blushed held off 3-1 second choice Spanish Lullaby (Lite the Fuse) by a

nose for second. Place paid $7 and $3.60, while the show rewarded with $3.

The remarkably consistent Smart and Fancy won her fourth race in succession

in moving her career mark to an excellent 15-10-2-1, $510,968. The filly has now

bagged seven stakes wins, and has placed in a trio of others, including this

year's Barbara Fritchie Breeders' Cup H. (G2). She was bred in

Maryland by Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Bowman and is out of the winning Substitute

Teacher (Shelter Half).