Silent Poet has easy time with Vice Regent

ETOBICOKE, Ontario — The favored Silent Poet had no problem staying a mile while winning his first stakes on Sunday at Woodbine in the $100,000 Vice Regent.

Silent Poet ($4.90) assumed a stalking position in the one-mile turf route, tracking the longshot pacemaker Silver Sheriff through the turn.

Silent Poet took control early in the stretch, while Royal Laser awaited behind the leaders, and then Silent Poet out-sprinted that rival in the final three-sixteenths to win by a length, in a time of 1:33.74.

Carmenootz rallied from sixth to beat out Be Vewy Vewy Quiet for third in the seven-horse field of Ontario-sired 3-year-olds.

Gary Boulanger rode Silent Poet for trainer Nick Gonzalez. The only time the gelding has missed the top two was in a 12th-place finish in this year’s Queen’s Plate.

“Nick told me we have to shut him off today, and I said he shuts off pretty easy,” Boulanger said. “He’s a really neat little horse. He kinda does whatever I ask him to do - a fun horse to ride.”

Silent Poet collected $60,000 for owner Stronach Stables, which bred him under the nom de course Adena Springs.