Pure Silver steps up in Adirondack

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Todd Pletcher was originally planning on pointing the undefeated 2-year-old filly Pure Silver for the Seeking the Ante Stakes later this month on New York Showcase Day. But the New York-bred Pure Silver has been training so well that Pletcher decided to call an audible, entering her instead in Saturday’s $200,000 Adirondack Stakes.

That likely is bad news for the connections of her seven rivals in the Grade 2 fixture, which includes her stablemate Stainless.

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Pure Silver has led throughout to win both of her starts, a 5 1/2-furlong maiden dash and the six-furlong Lynbrook Stakes, both at Belmont Park. Pure Silver stretches out to 6 1/2 furlongs and breaks from the rail in the Adirondack.

“She’s worked so well – she’s doing so well – it was a Grade 2 opportunity we just didn’t want to pass up,” said Pletcher. “She’s done everything right so far.”

Stainless won her debut in the spring at Gulfstream Park before finishing a distant third here last month in the Grade 3 Schuylerville. Pletcher breezed Stainless a solid half-mile over the Oklahoma turf course on Wednesday before opting several hours later to enter her in the Adirondack.

“We thought she worked well on the turf, and we thought about the 5 1/2-furlong Bolton Landing,” said Pletcher. “But I think she really wants more ground on the grass, so we figured we’ll run her here and then can always bring her back and stretch her out on turf.”

Sly Roxy was scheduled to make her debut on turf here earlier in the meet, but overnight rain forced the maiden special weight dash to be moved to a “good” main track. That change in surface resulted in a 5 1/2-length victory for Sly Roxy, whose 76 Beyer Speed Figure is second in this field only to the 78 registered by Pure Silver in the Lynbrook.

“She’s coming back a little quick, and I was looking for any excuse I could find not to run her back in here, but she’s doing so well, she’s really on her game right now,” said trainer Mark Casse.

Trainer Horacio DePaz will send out a pair of recent maiden winners: Proportionality, who won her only start last month at Laurel, and Southampton Way, a one-length maiden special weight winner here July 21.

Completing the field are Limited View, who acted up and was scratched in the paddock prior to the Schuylerville, Di Maria, and Wall of Compassion.

Key Contenders

Pure Silver, by Mission Impazible

Beyers: 78-66

◗ Pletcher said the strategy for her is “pretty straightforward,” as she’ll head right for the lead from her inside post under John Velazquez.

Sly Roxy, by Speightstown

Beyer: 76

◗ Casse said he’ll let Javier Castellano “figure things out” regarding the trip for his filly. “She’s pretty fast,” he said, adding that he doesn’t expect to see her too far off the lead.

– additional reporting by David Grening