Silent Citizen notches first stakes in Stanton

The star of trainer Efren Loza Jr.'s stable, Fear the Cowboy, is getting a little vacation right now, but Silent Citizen is certainly working hard. Loza shipped Silent Citizen to Delaware Park for his fifth start of the year, and he walked away with the lion's share of the purse in the $50,000 Stanton Stakes on Wednesday.

Silent Citizen paid $14.80 in the Stanton, a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds. He has now crossed the finish line first in five of his six starts, even though he was disqualified out of a January win at Tampa Bay Downs.

Jockey Trevor McCarthy put 8-5 favorite Up the Ante on the lead in the Stanton and Silent Citizen raced to his outside early. But when 40-1 Coach Adams wanted to move up between the leaders on the clubhouse turn, jockey Albin Jimenez complied and eased Silent Citizen back into third position.

McCarthy made a similar move after a 23.30-second opening quarter-mile and settled into second, conceding the lead to Coach Adams.

Entering the stretch following a half in 47.81 and six furlongs in 1:12.68, McCarthy re-engaged for the lead inside Coach Adams as Silent Citizen went outside horses to lodge his bid. Up the Ante retook a brief lead, but Silent Citizen had more momentum and went on to win by 1 1/4 lengths.

Archaggelos, who saved ground in fourth to the stretch, finished willingly for third but was outfinished by the top pair and beaten 1 1/4 lengths for second. Nakamura, the 2-1 second betting choice, was fanned four wide into the stretch but also lacked the needed closing kick and finished fourth in the six-horse field.

Silent Citizen won his debut for a $20,000 claiming tag at Gulfstream Park West in November. He had since made four starts in optional-starter company at Tampa Bay Downs. A $20,000 yearling buy, he is now 4 for 6 and a stakes winner with earnings of $67,180 for his owner, W. Mike Anderson.