Silver Max gives Romans record fourth Firecracker win
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Dale Romans has trained a lot of good horses, but he wanted to make sure it was known that Silver Max, his winner of the Firecracker on Saturday at Churchill Downs, ranks among his all-time favorites.
“This is a special, special horse,” said Romans, referring to his long-time friendship with co-owner Mark Bacon as a prime reason. “He really means something to me.”
Silver Max, making his first start in nearly eight months, took no prisoners in the Grade 2, $224,800 Firecracker, out-footing the speedy Free World for the lead and never looking back under Robby Albarado. Owned by Bacon and Dean Wells, the 5-year-old horse finished the one-mile distance in 1:34.21 over a firm turf and returned $4.60 to win as favorite in a field of eight older horses.
Nikki’s Sandcastle was up late to get a three-way photo for second, 1 1/2 lengths behind the winner and another nose before the Romans-trained Guys Reward. Villandry was a neck back in fourth, followed by Free World, Valentino Beauty, Regally Ready, and Joha.
It was the 12th win from 24 career starts for Silver Max, a Kentucky-bred 5-year-old horse by Badge of Silver. The winner’s share of $135,195 for his 10th career stakes victory lifted his career bankroll to $1,913,598.
In the last two years, Silver Max is the only horse to defeat Wise Dan, the reigning two-time Horse of the Year, having upset him last fall in the Shadwell Mile over Polytrack at Keeneland. After that, Silver Max was fourth to Wise Dan in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita before going on a lengthy break that Romans said “was only to give him the rest he deserved, and nothing else.”
Bacon said he and Romans had not discussed a possible next start for Silver Max, “but I’m sure we’ll talk about it tonight when we’re celebrating. This really should set us up for the rest of the year. It’s great.”
The $2 exacta (5-4) paid $29, the $1 trifecta (5-4-1) returned $76.40, and the 10-cent superfecta (5-4-1-6) was worth $40.32.
The win was a record fourth in the Firecracker for Romans, following Kitten’s Joy (2005), Thorn Song (2008), and Guys Reward (2012).
This was the 24th running of the Firecracker, which traditionally had been run on July 4 before Churchill cut back its spring schedule a few years ago. The 2013 winner in a memorable renewal was Wise Dan, who prevailed amid a nighttime thunderstorm.