Stone Silent Earns $10,000 FTBOA Top 3 Florida-bred Bonus
Fulminate Takes Down $4,000 in FTBOA Top 3 Florida-bred Bonus Money
BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Stone Silent chased fellow Florida-bred Fulminate down the backstretch and around the far turn before hitting the front at the top of the stretch and drawing clear to win the $115,000 Ladies Turf Sprint at Gulfstream Park Sunday. In winning her second consecutive added-money event, Stone Silent bested seven other fillies and mares, 4-years-old and older, who sprinted five furlongs on the grass.
Choose Joy rallied for second with Fulminate finishing third. They were followed in order by Shasta Star, Florida-bred Baby Steps, Glitter Up, Canadiansweetheart and The Arcadian Way. Florida-bred Boo Boo Kitty was scratched.
In addition to the winner’s share of the purse, Stone Silent also earned a $10,000 Florida-bred Top 3 bonus presented by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association. Fulminate earned $13,700, including $4,000 in Florida-bred Top 3 bonus money in addition.
There was an even start to Ladies Turf Sprint before Fulminate and jockey Paco Lopez shot to a clear lead from post three as Stone Silent and rider Junior Alvarado gave chase in second from a length-and-a-half back with Baby Steps to her outside in third. Fulminate finished the first quarter mile in :20.96 as Stone Silent edged closer on the outside around the turn and those two turned for home heads apart.
Stone Silent was much the best in the run for home as she pulled away to finish two-and-a-half lengths in front in a time of :54.56 on firm turf.
Stone Silent went off as the even-money favorite and paid $4 to win.
“She was ready for me the whole way around. I was just biding my time until we turned for home to let her loose and she did the rest,” Alvarado said. “She was very impressive.”
Trained by Brian Lynch for Victoriam Farm LLC, Stone Silent had won the $125,000 Abundantia by a length-and-three-quarters sprinting five furlongs on the Gulfstream Park turf on Dec. 31 in her previous start. Victoriam Farm recently purchased Stone Silent for $170,000 at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. She had previously been trained by Steve Asmussen, for whom she finished second to L J’s Emma in the $150,000 Galway at Saratoga in August; and by John Sadler, who saddled her to victory in the $100,000 Fasig-Tipton Debutante at Santa Anita in June of 2022.
“I was a little concerned about the one hole today, but she certainly seemed to overcome that. It seems like she’s trying to get good, and it’s a nice time a year for a filly trying to get good,” Lynch said.
Lynch said he will point Stone Silent toward the $100,000 Captiva Island, a five-furlong turf dash for older fillies and mares scheduled for March 10 at Gulfstream.
A 4-year-old daughter of Ocala Stud stallion Adios Charlie out of Travelator, by A.P. Jet, Stone Silent was bred by William J. Terrell and Frank De Savino. She now has four wins, two seconds and a third in 10 starts and the $71,140 payday increased her career earnings to $290,838.
Travelator has nine winners from 10 starters including Hollywood Jet, by Uncaptured, winner of the 2022 Fishtown at Parx Racing. She also produced stakes-placed Sweetheart Deal, by Kantharos and has an unnamed yearling colt by Girvin. She was bred to Ocala Stud’s Colonel Liam in 2023.
Stone Silent is a graduate of the 2022 Ocala Breeders’ Sales March Sale where she was purchased for $410,000 by West Point Thoroughbreds/Talla Racing out of the Ocala Stud consignment.
Stone Silent is the fifth Florida-bred and the third in four years to take the Ladies Turf Sprint, first run in 2010. Other Florida-bred winners include Believe in Charlie in 2014, Jewel of a Cat (2015), Lady’s Island (2021) and Miss Auramet (2022).
Return to the Feb. 11 issue of Wire to Wire
