Silver Prospector finishes off big day for Asmussen, Elliott in Sexton Mile
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – Silver Prospector put an exclamation point on Lone Star Million Day for trainer Steve Asmussen and jockey Stewart Elliott on Monday, when he gave them their third stakes win on the day in the featured Grade 3, $400,000 Steve Sexton Mile.
“Wow,” said Asmussen. “I’m extremely proud of the barn and the horses. They showed up on a day that is very important to us.”
Asmussen, who is the all-time leading trainer at his home track of Lone Star, also ran one-two in the $300,000 Texas Derby with King Ottoman and Presidential and won the $100,000 Memorial Day Sprint with Kalypso.
Elliott was aboard those winners, while he and Asmussen also teamed for a fourth victory on the program in an overnight race won by Lady Ave.
Lone Star Million Day featured six stakes worth a total of $1.2 million. It is the richest card of the meet, and the biggest offerings were the Steve Sexton Mile and the Texas Derby.
Silver Prospector ($13) settled off the pace set by Mish, who took the field through fractions of 24 seconds for the opening quarter, 46.99 for the half-mile, and 1:11.13 for six furlongs. Silver Prospector advanced on the final turn and proceeded to run down the leader through the stretch, winning by 1 1/2 lengths over Mish. It was another neck back in third to Shaaz.
Silver Prospector, who was a millionaire coming into the Steve Sexton Mile, covered the distance on a fast track in 1:37.20.
“Silver Prospector has kept excellent company his whole life and for him to be still winning at this level, I couldn’t be prouder of him,” Asmussen said of the 5-year-old by Declaration of War.
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Silver Prospector was a Grade 2 winner as a 2-year-old in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes and a Grade 3 winner at 3 in the Southwest Stakes. He races for Ed and Susie Orr, who were in from Colorado for the race Monday.
Silver Prospector has now won 5 of 21 starts for earnings of $1.2 million.
Plans for the horse are to be determined, according to Asmussen.
“This was the target,” he said. “I couldn’t be prouder of his effort today.”
On a day that was the size of Texas for Asmussen and Elliott.
* The 50-cent late pick four that had a $200,000 minimum guaranteed pool returned $498.45. The final pool was $257,821.
* Handle on the 12-race card from all sources was $5,807,664, according to the charts of the races from Equibase. Attendance on track was 8,035.