Silver Timber, in a no-holds-barred speed duel with even-money favorite Heroes Reward from the very start, finally inched clear of his rival in upper stretch and held on for a narrow victory in the $156,000 Jaipur Stakes (gr. IIIT) (VIDEO) on the Belmont turf July 18.
It was the first graded stakes victory for 6-year-old Silver Timber, who finished seventh in last year’s Jaipur while being trained by Linda Rice. The Prime Timber gelding was claimed for $25,000 by trainer Chad Brown for co-owner Michael Dubb in April. He has won all three starts for his new connections.
Ridden by Eibar Coa, Silver Timber raced just to the outside of Heroes Reward and Javier Castellano in the six-furlong Jaipur, as those two burned through splits of :21.71 and :44.53. The other three in the field were nowhere close when the leaders hit the quarter pole.
Shortly after straightening away, Silver Timber forged a short lead, one that he held through the stretch. A late bid from fast-closing Due Date was not enough, as the gray/roan gelding hit the wire 1 1/2 lengths in front of Heroes Reward. Due Date was a neck back in third.
The final time on a firm turf course was 1:07.60.
Bred in New York by Sez Who Thoroughbreds, Silver Timber won five of 26 starts before being claimed by Brown for Dubb and High Grade Racing Stables April 4 at Gulfstream Park. He went on to win that claiming race and then scored by four lengths in an optional claimer May 15 on the Belmont turf.
"I have another horse named Redefined who has raced in this New York turf division quite a bit, and it seemed (Silver Timber) had always had troubled trips," Dubb said. "When he was in for $25,000 in Florida, with the whole sprint season ahead of us, it seemed like a bargain. Of course, everything seems easy on paper. It’s hard to improve on (former trainer Linda Rice), but Chad has done a wonderful job with him."
Now with an 8-2-5 record from 27 starts, Silver Timber has earned $321,168. He is out of the Alwuhush mare River Princess.
The winner paid $9.20, $3.20, and $2.60. The exacta (5-3) returned $20.80 and the trifecta (5-3-4) was $61.50.
Le Grand Cru was fourth, followed by Yield Bogey. Mohegan Sky, True Quality, and Premium Wine were scratched.
Heroes Reward, trained by Dale Capuano for Rob Ry Farm and Jayne Marie Slysz, became a millionare with his second-place finish. The 7-year-old son of Partner's Hero has now earned $1,015,698.