BY BROCK SHERIDAN

FEBRUARY 8, 1997—Robert and Beverly Lewis’ Florida-bred Silver Charm made his sophomore debut in the Grade 3 San Vincente at Santa Anita, a major stepping-stone in Southern California for the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby.

In his last race as a 2-year-old in September of 1996, Silver Charm provided trainer Bob Baffert with the first of his 18 wins in the Del Mar Futurity (G2) to finish his season with two wins in three starts.

Five months later, the long-striding grey entered the San Vincente as the 5-2 second choice as part of an entry, behind the Mel Stute-trained Funontherun, an 11-length winner of maiden special weight at Santa Anita. Also in the nine-horse field at 13-1 was the Paco Gonzalez-trained Free House, winner of the Grade 2 Norfolk in his juvenile year but winless in three starts since including a seventh in the Golden Gate Derby in his last start.

With Chris McCarron aboard for the first time, Silver Charm raced on the rail in third down the backstretch, just behind the front-running Funontherun with Red in second on the outside. Funontherun continued to lead around the far turn but at the top of the stretch was met by Red on the outside and Silver Charm to his left before Silver Charm spurted clear in the stretch. 

Silver Charm held on and won by a length-and-a-quarter ahead of a fast-closing Free House in second with Funontherun finishing another two lengths back in third.

 

It was the first of 13 wins in the San Vincente for Baffert and set up a rivalry between Silver Charm and Free House that would last through that year’s Triple Crown.

Five weeks later, Free House took the Grade 2 San Felipe at Santa Anita by three-quarters of a length ahead of Silver Charm in second. Gary Stevens was given the mount in the Santa Anita Derby in April, but Silver Charm came up a head shy Free House and finished second.

On May 3, Silver Charm became the sixth Florida-bred to win the Kentucky Derby, producing the first of six Derby victories for Baffert and giving Stevens his third score in the Run for the Roses.

Florida-bred Captain Bodgit was a head back in second with Free House third. 

 

Again it was a narrow head that separated a winning Silver Charm and runner-up Free House in the Preakness (G1) on May 17 but a Triple Crown title fell when Touch Gold ran past Silver Charm in the final strides to win the Belmont Stakes (G1). Free House was third. 

 

Silver Charm was recognized with an Eclipse Award as the champion 3-year-old male of 1997.

As a 4-year-old Silver Charm won the San Fernando Breeders’ Cup (G2), Strub (G2), the $4 million Dubai World Cup (G1), Kentucky Gold Cup Handicap (G3), Goodwood (G2) and Clark Handicap (G2) but finished second to Awesome Again in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). After winning the San Pasqual (G2) in 1999, he had four more starts before retiring.

He remains second on the list of all-time richest Florida-breds with earnings of $6,944,368 behind Skip Away with $9,616,360, winning half of his 24 career starts with seven seconds and two thirds. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007.

By Silver Buck out of Bonnie’s Poker, by Poker, Silver Charm was bred in Florida by Mary Lou Wooton and is a two-time graduate of Ocala Breeders’ Sales.

Janie Roper consigned him to the 1995 OBS August Yearling Sale where Hartley/De Renzo purchased him for $16,500. Hartley/De Renzo would consign him to the OBS Spring Sale the following year where C.J. Gray purchased him for $100,000.

Following his illustrious racing career, Silver Charm entered Stud at Three Chimneys in Kentucky before relocating to Japan in 2005 where he stood at JBBA’s Stallion Station until 2014.

In December of 2014, Silver Charm retired to Old Friends thanks to the cooperative efforts of JBBA, the Lewis family and Three Chimneys. He remains at Old Friends today and at age 30 as the oldest resident at the Georgetown, Ky., farm. Silver Charm turns 31 on Feb. 22.  

Return to the February 8 issue of Wire to Wire