Silver Timber took a different route than he did last year, but the result was the same in the $100,000 Woodford (gr. IIIT) (VIDEO), as he came off the pace to win the turf sprint Oct. 9 at Keeneland.
Sent off as the 9-5 choice when he won the 2009 Woodford while racing near the front, this time Silver Timber was dismissed at more than 4-1 in a strong field of 11. Julien Leparoux rode the 7-year-old gelding to victory for trainer Chad Brown. The son of Prime Timber is likely on his way back to the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (gr. IIT) on Nov. 6 at Churchill Downs. He finished sixth in that race a year ago at Santa Anita.
Michael Dubb and High Grade Racing Stable own Silver Timber, who was claimed for $25,000 in April 2009. He has won eight times since that claim, including five graded stakes. The gray/roan gelding has earned $677,619 from 36 lifetime starts.
Central City, who lost to Silver Timber in the April 30 Churchill Downs Turf Sprint (gr. IIIT) by a neck when Silver Timber set the five-furlong course record, set the pace in the Woodford and took the lead into deep stretch under Robby Albarado. Last year’s BC Turf Sprint winner California Flag tracked the leader, with Fiddlers Patriot and Atta Boy Roy also up close.
Central City, who ran the opening quarter in :21.67 and four furlongs in :44.44, still led inside the sixteenth-pole, with Yankee Injunuity chasing from the hedge. But his biggest challenge was from Silver Timber, who was swung four-wide into the stretch by Leparoux after racing in seventh in the early going. He used his quick turn of foot to collar the pacesetter in deep stretch and inched clear to win by a half-length despite carrying top weight of 124 pounds.
The final time for the 5 1/2-furlongs on firm turf was 1:02.30. Central City held on for runner-up by a nose over late-closing Due Date. Chamberlain Bridge, the second choice who came into the race off three straight wins, rallied for fourth after breaking poorly and trailing the field into the turn. California Flag, sent off as the 8-5 favorite, tired to finish last.
Silver Timber was bred in New York by Sez Who Thoroughbreds and is out of the Alwuhush mare River Princess. He has won four of six starts this season, including the Shakertown (gr. IIIT) at Keeneland in the spring. He has won all three career starts in Lexington. And now it's on to the Breeders' Cup.
“He has the (course) record (at Churchill Downs) he set this spring," Brown said of the upcoming Breeders' Cup. "And we’ll be at equal weight. I think he’s going to be double-tough.”
The winner paid $10.60, $5.60, and $4.60. The exacta (9-3) returned $110.20 and the trifecta (9-3-10) was $3,023.80.