Silent Poet goes for repeat victory in Highlander Stakes
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Silent Poet has lived in the shadow of perennial Canadian champion sprinter Pink Lloyd and would have been a champion in his own right had that popular rival not been a tour de force at Woodbine prior to his retirement last year.
Silent Poet will try to win the $200,000 Highlander Stakes for the second year in a row on Saturday at Woodbine. The six-furlong turf sprint was downgraded from a Grade 1 to Grade 2 status this year.
Trained by Nick Gonzalez for Stronach Stables, Silent Poet wound up second to shipper Arzak coming off the sidelines in the Thorncliffe Stakes on April 17. The 7-year-old is coming off a flat fifth behind Arzak here in another Tapeta stakes, the Grade 3 Jacques Cartier.
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“He’s a lot better on the turf,” Gonzalez said. “I’m just going to concentrate on turf stakes sprints for the rest of the year. He’s doing really good. They way he’s been acting, we’ve kidded around at the barn that he’s 7 going on 3. He’s a cool horse to have around. He’s a Canadian millionaire.”
Gonzalez said Silent Poet missed the second half of the 2021 Woodbine meet due to a wonky knee.
“He’s had a little ‘knee’ his whole life,” Gonzalez explained. “We sent him down to Ocala Equine because they know him and know his knee well. They’ve been working on it since he was 3. It just needed a little clean-up, so that’s what we did.”
The shippers in the 11-horse field are Bound for Nowhere, Voodoo Zip, and Arzak.
Kentucky-based veteran Bound for Nowhere has been campaigned sporadically by trainer Wesley Ward. He has been idle since March 18, when he won a conditioned allowance with a 98 Beyer Speed Figure over four next-out winners at Fair Grounds.
Saratoga-based Voodoo Zip won the second and third allowance conditions going six furlongs at Belmont in two of his last three outings. Dylan Davis will ride him for trainer Christophe Clement. Davis and Clement combined to win two graded stakes here last year with Mutamakima.
Maryland-based Arzak beat all the best local Tapeta sprinters in the Thorncliffe and Jacques Cartier. His turf form isn’t nearly as good as his synthetic races.
Trainer Mark Casse sends out Chuck Willis, Turned Aside, Tap It to Win, Olympic Runner, and Into the Sunrise.
Chuck Willis might be the speed of the speed. He wired conditioned allowance types and open allowance opposition on different surfaces in his two appearances at the meet.
Turned Aside notched a second-level allowance going five furlongs on the inner turf in his second start off the bench June 5.
Tap It to Win rallied inside for second in the Jacques Cartier on May 15, his return to the local scene after wintering in Florida.
Olympic Runner is making his first start of the year. The highlight of his 2021 campaign was a victory in the Grade 2 King Edward.
Into the Sunrise led until late stretch when second to Voodoo Zip in his last race at Belmont.