Front-running Silver Max , staked to an uncontested lead by Shaun Bridgmohan, cruised to a two-length victory in the $125,000 Arlington Classic May 26 at Arlington Park for his fourth consecutive win (VIDEO).
Taking advantage of a tangle at the start involving the four inside horses, the 3-year-old son of Badge of Silver sped to an early 2 1/2-length advantage and was untested while getting the 1 1/16-mile distance over firm turf in a fast 1:41.87.
“He’s pretty cool little horse,” Bridgmohan said. “We got to the front pretty easy and it was all business from there. I was just a good passenger.”
Carrying top of 126 pounds, the 3-5 favorite in the field of 10 clipped off swift fractions of :22.97, :46.74, and 1:11.16 and opened a three-length edge over a fading All Stormy in the stretch. He held sway over the late-running Sachem Spirit, ridden by Corey Lanerie, with Najjaar and James Graham a half-length farther back in third.
Dale Romans trains Silver Max for owners Mark Bacon and Dana Wells. The bay colt was bred in Kentucky by Steve C. Snowden, Seth Lauffer, and Will Lauffer. Out of the Kissin Kris mare Kissin Rene, Silver Max sold for $20,000 as a yearling at Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky July 2010 sale.
Silver Max was coming off stakes victories in the Transylvania (gr. IIIT) at Keeneland April 6 and the American Turf (gr. IIT) at Churchill Downs May 4. He has now posted five wins and five seconds in 11 career starts. The $71,250 winner’s share pushed his career earnings to $378,071.
North of Never, All Stormy, Monastic, No Spin, Hero of Order, Street Serenade, and Slamit completed the order of finish.
Silver Max paid $3.20, $2.40, and $2.10. Sachem Spirit returned $5.20 and $4. Najjaar paid $5.