Stronger Than Ever pulls an upset in Silverbulletday

NEW ORLEANS – Stronger Than Ever was last down the backstretch and first under the wire, pulling a 33-1 shocker in the $150,000 Silverbulletday Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on Saturday at Fair Grounds.

Stronger Than Ever engaged even-money favorite Wonder Gadot in upper stretch, and while Wonder Gadot fought hard, a strong early pace appeared to leave her vulnerable to the upset.

“I think my filly was better than the odds,” said winning rider Florent Geroux. “I was last. I couldn’t really keep up early.”

And that was just fine. Wonder Gadot and John Velazquez broke sharply from post 2 but were engaged on the outside by She’s Our Fastest, who took the lead, and America’s Tale. The opening quarter went in a quick 23.57 seconds, and turning onto the backstretch Velazquez eased Wonder Gadot off the fence to get outside the pacesetter. The half was a fast 47.43, at which point Velazquez let Wonder Gadot run up to make the lead.

Stronger Than Ever ($68.40) still wasn’t in the picture after a half-mile, but as the field slowed to a crawl, going the third quarter in just 26.26 seconds, she gained ground between horses, and by the top of the stretch Stronger Than Ever was right up to Wonder Gadot’s flank. The pair ran in tandem the rest of the way, the longshot just getting the better of the favorite to win by a neck.

The final time for one mile and 70 yards on a fast track was a modest 1:44.28. After the fast first half, the leaders went the second half in a glacial 52.55 seconds.

“She went a little too quick maybe,” Velazquez said. “She tried hard when the other horse came to her.”

Missive, who loomed boldly at the quarter-pole, flattened out slightly and finished third, 4 1/2 lengths behind Wonder Gadot and 1 3/4 lengths in front of Blonde Bomber, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies third-place finisher. Blonde Bomber stalked in mid-pack from the inside and ran past Heavenly Love late for fourth. Heavenly Love had to put on the brakes while stuck on the rail at the half-mile pole but had little for the finish. Terra’s Angel, America’s Tale, and She’s Our Fastest completed the order of finish. Noblame, Remember Daisy, Saguaro Row, and Stellar Moon were scratched.

Kenny McPeek trains Stronger Than Ever, a $310,000 yearling purchase, for the Fern Circle Stables. Stronger Than Ever is by Congrats out of Broken Silence, by Broken Vow, and won for the third time in five starts. Stronger Than Ever won her first two starts last fall in Kentucky, but then was a well-beaten seventh in the Golden Rod Stakes at Churchill. Caught wide in the Trapeze Stakes at Remington Park last out, Stronger Than Ever finished third by seven lengths, then went back to Kentucky before shipping into McPeek’s Fair Grounds string, overseen by assistant Greg Geier, about two weeks ago.

“They told me last time at Remington the trip didn’t go their way, and they were hoping today there was a little more pace,” said Geroux.

There was, and they did.