Silver Train much the best in Jerome

ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. got the best of Nick Zito again and now he may just have another horse for next month's Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships.

One day after Dutrow won the Grade 1 Woodward Stakes with Saint Liam - besting the Zito-trained entry of Sir Shackleton and Commentator - Dutrow sent out Silver Train to a front-running, five-length victory over Zito's High Fly in the Grade 2, $150,000 .

It was 2 1/4 lengths back to Naughty New Yorker in third. Sir Greeley, Better Than Bonds and Awesome Twist completed the order of finish.

Under Edgar Prado, Silver Train broke alertly and was loose on the lead through fractions of 23.49 seconds, 46.71, 1:10.04 before stopping the clock in 1:34.24 for the mile over a fast track. Silver Train returned $6.90 as the second choice.

``I thought I as going to chase High Fly every step of the way,'' Prado said. ``My horse broke sharp and we took the lead and I slowed him down and it worked out beautiful. At the top of the stretch I pressed the pedal and he took off again.''

The victory affirmed Silver Train's affinity for Belmont Park. Two starts back Silver Train won an allowance race here running six furlongs in 1:07.67, which was .01 off Artax's track record for the distance. Silver Train's affinity for Belmont Park has Dutrow considering running him in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Sprint here on Oct. 29.

``He's the kind of horse that would sit behind speed and make that one run and horses like that win the Breeders' Cup Sprint,'' said Dutrow, who trains Silver Train for Buckram Oak Farm. ``It looks like a lot of speed coming up in that race. It should work out perfectly for him. I don't know if he's got the talent to run with those kind sprinting, but now is the time to find out. It's on his track, he's doing good, crazier things have happened.''