Adios Charlie Filly Earns $25,000 FTBOA Florida-bred Win Bonus
BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Making her first start for new owners Victoriam Farm LLC and red-hot trainer Brian Lynch, Florida-bred Stone Silent responded well to her new surroundings with a victory in the $125,000 Abundantia at Gulfstream Park on Dec. 31. In winning the five-furlong sprint on the turf against six other fillies and mares, the 3-year-old daughter of Ocala Stud stallion Adios Charlie also earned a $25,000 Florida-bred win bonus presented by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association.
Stone Silent is the third stakes-winner of the meet for Lynch, who saddled $100,000 Sabal Palm overnight handicap-winner Skyro and $100,000 H. Allen Jerkens victor F Five among his seven winners in 24 starters through Sunday.
“There’s nothing better than to come down here and have a great meet. It’s the end of the year and we’re all trying to reach our goals and see how much prize money we can win before the end of the year,” Lynch said. “We’ve had a great year. We’re thrilled about it and looking forward to next year.”
Victoriam Farm purchased Stone Silent for $170,000 out of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock sale shortly after she had finished third behind winner Redefined in an allowance race sprinting on the Churchill Downs turf on Nov. 3 for previous owners Talla Racing and West Point Thoroughbreds.
Her new owners sent her to Lynch’s barn at Palm Meadows Training Center where she produced four solid works including a four-furlong breeze on the turf in :50 on Dec. 22.
In making her first start in her native Florida, Stone Silent broke a step slow from post five in the Abundantia with jockey Junior Alvarado, who used a new tactic with the bay filly. Stone Silent had be on or near the lead initially in each of her previous eight starts but found herself racing in fourth, about two-and-a-half lengths behind the frontrunning pair of Lady Milagro and Glitter Up through the first quarter-mile in :21.42.
Alvarado sent Stone Silent at the leaders while three-wide around the far turn as Glitter Up shook of Lady Milagro to take a short advantage turning for home.
Glitter Up tried to get away from Stone Silent in the run for home but could not hold off the Florida-bred filly, who went on to win by a length-and-three-quarters in :55.21 on the firm turf. Choose Joy rallied to get second by a nose ahead of 4-5 favorite Twilight Gleaming in third. Glitter Up was fourth followed by Traviesa, Florida-bred Talkin Tipsy and Lady Milagro. Accomplished Girl, Florida-bred Baby Steps, Bedtime Story, Florida-bred Fulminate, Isabel Alexandra (Ire), Mainline, Florida-bred One Identity and Sassy Nature were scratched.
Stone Silent paid $11.40 to win.
“She couldn’t have run any better, could she?’ Lynch said. “The boys have got her booked to be bred, but I’d say after the way she ran today, we might get another year of racing out of her,” Lynch said.
It was the second career stakes victory for Stone Silent, who won the $100,000 Fasig-Tipton Debutante going five furlongs at Santa Anita last year in June in her first and only race during her 2-year-old year.
She started 2023 with two unsuccessful tries against stakes fillies including a fifth-place finish in the $150,000 Dixie Belle at Oaklawn in February before finishing eighth in the $208,000 Limestone at Keeneland in April. In five other starts this year, she was second and won against allowance fillies at Horseshoe Indianapolis in June and July respectively and was second to L J’s Emma in the $150,000 Galway at Saratoga on Aug. 12.
Stone Silent now has three wins with two seconds and a third in nine lifetime starts and her $85,760 payday in the Abundantia pushed her earnings to $219,698.
She is out of the multiple graded stakes-placed Travelator, by A.P. Jet and was bred by William J. Terrell and Frank De Savino.
Travelator, who earned $647,672 in her career including seven stakes, has produced nine winners from 10 starters, among them stakes-winner Hollywood Jet, by Uncaptured; and stakes-placed Sweetheart Deal, by Kantharos. She has a weanling filly by Girvin and was bred to Ocala Stud stallion Colonel Liam in 2023.
Stone Silent was purchase by Talla Racing and West Point Thoroughbreds for $410,000 at last year’s Ocala Breeders’ Sales March Sale where she was consigned by Ocala Stud.
