Silent Tactic has serious five-furlong work for Travers
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – To hear trainer Mark Casse tell it, Silent Tactic ran the best race of his career when finishing third in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy last month. With expected improvement, Casse feels he could be a serious contender when he runs back in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 29.
Wednesday morning, Silent Tactic had his one serious work between races when he breezed five furlongs in 1:00.94 over Saratoga’s main track, according to Daily Racing Form. Silent Tactic, working in blinkers and outside of the stakes-winning filly Nerazurri, galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.94.
Casse, communicating via two-way radio, had exercise riders Reynaldo Dumont on Nerazzuri and Edwin Soto on Silent Tactic pick it up inside the sixteenth pole but then quickly told them to slow down just past the wire.
“He’s not an easy horse,” Casse said of Silent Tactic. “I was going to breeze him a half but he wouldn’t break a sweat and I wanted him to do a little something today. We’re going into the biggest race of his life.”
Silent Tactic won the Grade 3 Southwest in February. He finished second to Class President, beaten a nose, in the Grade 2 Rebel and then was beaten four lengths by Renegade in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby. Silent Tactic missed the Triple Crown races dealing with a bruised foot.
In the Jim Dandy, where he was again facing Renegade, as well as the Grade 1 winner Commandment, Silent Tactic showed more speed than he had and held on to finish third, 2 1/2 lengths behind Renegade.
“I thought it was the best he’s ever run,” Casse said. “I was very impressed with Renegade when he won the Arkansas Derby. I thought he was the horse to beat in the [Kentucky] Derby.
“To come back and run against two of the best in the country in Commandment and Renegade, I thought if we could finish within about eight lengths of them that that would be a great accomplishment. We were going against those horses that are at the top of their game and my horse is coming off a five-month layoff.”
Casse confirmed that Luis Saez, aboard in the Jim Dandy, would ride Silent Tactic back in the Travers.
Casse said Nerazurri will run in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign on the Travers undercard. She won the Lady Jacqueline Stakes at Thistledown before finishing third in the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher, which was run over a sealed but fast Monmouth Park track on July 18.
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