BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Victoriam Farm LLC’s Stone Silent won her third consecutive stakes Sunday at Gulfstream Park as the Florida-bred filly took the $114,000 Captiva Island, a five-furlong sprint on the turf featuring eight fillies and mares, 4-years-old and older.
Ridden by regular rider Junior Alvardo from the inside post, the 4-year-old Stone Silent broke sharply but relinquished the early advantage to recent allowance-winner Future Is Now and jockey Luis Saez to her outside for the short run down the backstretch.
With less than a half-mile to run, Future Is Now and Stone Silent put two lengths on the vanguard of Accomplished Girl, Florida-bred Sol Hope and longshot Arcadian Way as Florida-bred Fulminate tried to join the fray on the far outside after a slow start.
Alvarado had to check Stone Silent briefly around the far turn after a :21.69 first quarter-mile as Future is Now sprinted away briefly before Accomplished Girl and Fulminate went on the attack to her outside approaching the quarter-mile marker.
But Future is Now again spurted away from her rivals turning for home when Stone Silent began to make up ground with an inside run. Stone Silent found small opening along the rail and drew even with the leader approaching the sixteenth pole.
Stone Silent quickly put away her rival in the final strides to cross under the wire a half-length in front of Future Is Now in second in a final time of :55.16 on the firm turf. Sol Hope rallied for third followed by Secret Money, Accomplished Girl, Sara Mia, The Arcadian Way and Fulminate.
Stone Silent paid $3.40 as the 3-5 favorite.
“It was a good trip all the way until the quarter pole,” Alvarado said. “I was trying to find my way through and didn’t have any choice but to go on the rail. She got a little intimidated when I first tried to go in there, but after that, she pushed through it and she was probably much the best in this race. I knew she was going to keep going. She’s just all class, very professional and straightforward.”
After being purchased by Victoriam Farm for $170,000 at the 2023 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, Stone Silent subsequently won the $125,000 Abundantia on Dec. 31 and the $115,000 Ladies’ Turf Sprint on Feb. 11, both going five furlongs on the Gulfstream Park grass.
“She’s been very exciting this meet, that’s for sure,” trainer Brian Lynch said. “We lead her over here each race and she lays it down for you. Today, I thought she was up against it with the trip she got but she seemed to find a way to squeeze through that little hole and come up trumps. I’m very proud of her.”
Stone Silent has now won five of her 11 career starts with two seconds and a third with earnings of $360,978, $30,000 of which has come from Florida-bred bonus money in her three victories during the Gulfstream Championship meet. In addition to the winner’s share of the Captiva Island purse, Stone Silent earned a $10,000 Top 3 Florida-bred bonus presented by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association. Sol Hope earned $4,000 in FTBOA Florida-bred Top 3 bonus money for finishing third.
By Ocala Stud stallion Adios Charlie out of the multiple stakes-winning mare Travelator, by A.P. Jet, Stone Silent was bred in Florida by William J. Terrell and Frank De Savino. She is a half-sister to stakes-winner Hollywood Jet, by Uncaptured, and Travelator has produced nine winners from 10 starters. Travelator has an unnamed, yearling colt by Girvin and was bred to Ocala Stud stallion Colonel Liam in 2023.
Stone Silent sold West Point Thoroughbreds and Talla Racing for $410,000 as 2-year-old at the 2022 Ocala Breeders’ Sale March Sale where she was consigned by Ocala Stud.
Stone Silent is the third Florida-bred winner of the Captiva Island, first run in 2015. Other Florida-bred winners were Blue Bahia in 2018 and a Bit of Both in 2021.