Tale of Silence has quick work for Met Mile

ELMONT, N.Y. – Though he will likely be the longest shot in the field, Tale of Silence is being pointed to the Grade 1, $1.2 million Metropolitan Handicap on June 8, trainer Barclay Tagg confirmed on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Tale of Silence worked five furlongs in 58.17 seconds over Belmont Park’s main track. He began his work about 10 lengths behind Funny Flowers and caught him at the wire after going three furlongs in 33.40 seconds and his final quarter in 24.77.

“He seemed to do all right,” Tagg said. “I didn’t really want him to go that fast.”

Tale of Silence is only 3 for 17, but he won the Grade 3 Westchester here last year at 12-1 and in 2017 he finished second to Practical Joke in the Grade 3 Dwyer Stakes at odds of 43-1.

This year’s Met Mile field is expected to include Coal Front, Firenze Fire, McKinzie, Mitole, Pavel, Promises Fulfilled, and Thunder Snow.

Candygram, who is coming off two allowance victories, worked a half-mile in 48.96 seconds Wednesday morning over Belmont’s training track. He is nominated to the Met Mile, but trainer Jimmy Jerkens was non-committal about running in the race.