No Silent remains in peak form winning Eddie D

ARCADIA, Calif. - Life as a gelding has changed No Silent.

Saturday, the 6-year-old won his first graded stakes in the $101,500 Eddie D Stakes on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita. The Grade 3 Eddie D was No Silent’s third consecutive win, the longest winning streak of his 23-race career.

While it was not immediately clear whether No Silent would be sent to Keeneland for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint on Oct. 31, the win showed that No Silent is in the best form of his career.

“He ran the best race of his life as a 6-year-old,” trainer Gary Mandella said.

Ridden by Gary Stevens, No Silent ($15.80) was fourth of 11 early and led through the stretch to win the race at about 6 1/2 furlongs on turf by 1 3/4 lengths over 28-1 Melatonin. No Silent was timed in 1:13.04.

“We thought it would wind up with a couple of horses that would set the pace,” Mandella said. “He still won pretty handy.”

Jimmy Bouncer, the 3-1 second choice, finished third, but was disqualified and placed fourth for causing interference to original fourth-place finisher Toowindytohaulrox in the stretch.

Quick and Silver finished fifth, followed by Midnight Storm, Maltes, Safety Belt, Majestic City, Mr. Sexy, and Chips All In. Midnight Storm, the winner of the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby in 2014, was the 6-5 favorite. He fought for the lead for the first half-mile before fading through the stretch.

No Silent’s winning streak includes two races at five furlongs on turf at Del Mar – a $50,000 claimer on Aug. 3, and an optional claimer on Sept. 3 in which he was eligible to be claimed for $62,500. A Kentucky-bred by the Sunday Silence stallion Silent Name, No Silent was gelded at the end of his 2014 season, Mandella said.

“We thought it would help if he was gelded,” Mandella said. “I think it helped him mentally. He’s been a more settled and relaxed horse.”

Mandella said he would discuss short-term plans with owners Jan and Jerry Hawthorne, who race as Double JH Stable. No Silent has raced for Double JH Stable since his fourth start, a maiden race win at Hollywood Park in July 2012.

No Silent has won 7 of 23 starts and earned $389,877.