Silent Prayer eyes second victory in Thursday feature
Silent Prayer has picked up a lot of cash running in – but not winning – stakes races restricted to horses sired in Florida. The homebred daughter of Brooks ’n Down has earned $196,350 in five starts and has a good chance of getting her second win when she runs in a $75,000 optional-claiming race that will serve as the featured race Thursday at Gulfstream Park West. The one-mile race for 2-year-old fillies drew seven horses and goes as the ninth race.
Trained by Stanley Gold, Silent Prayer broke on top and never looked back when she made her debut going 4 1/2 furlongs in a maiden special weight race at Gulfstream Park on May 6. She hasn’t won since, but she really hasn’t run a bad race. She set the pace before tiring to finish third in the $99,250 Birdonthewire in her second start against open company, and she dueled early before being the runner-up in the $200,000, restricted Florida Sire Desert Vixen going six furlongs.
Silent Prayer showed that she had more than one dimension in her next two starts in restricted races. She rallied from well back to finish second in the $300,000 Florida Sire Susan’s Girl, and in her latest start in the $500,000 Florida Sire My Dear Girl, she overcame adversity to get up for third after getting shuffled back on the stretch turn in the 1 1/16-mile race.
She drew post 2 for Thursday, and it will be interesting to see if her usual rider, Jesus Rios, puts her into the race early or eases her into a stalking position.
The horse she probably will have to catch is Chief Attraction, who is coming off a seven-length romp in the slop in a one-mile maiden special weight race at Gulfstream on Sept. 18.
Trained by Bill Kaplan, Chief Attraction showed a lot of promise in her debut, finishing fourth in five-furlong maiden special weight race that produced three other next-out winners.
KEY CONTENDERS
Silent Prayer (Last 3 Beyers: 57-56-52)
◗ The half-sister to $447,802 earner and multiple stakes winner Sing Praises has the best last-race Beyer Speed Figure and shouldn’t mind the slightly shorter distance after a solid effort in her first try going around two turns.
Chief Attraction (Beyers: 56-60)
◗ She was very impressive in winning her second start going this distance, and the 60 Beyer she earned in her debut is the best lifetime Beyer in the field.
◗ She has good speed and could be tough to catch if she clears early.