Jeremy Rose rode the Maryland-bred 6-year-old daughter of Diamond to her 15th lifetime victory (in 33 starts) for trainer Chris Grove and owner/breeders Stephen E. Quick and Christopher J. Feifarek. Silmaril, who is closing in on $1 million in career earnings, went off at odds of nearly 7-1 in a seven-horse field.
Second to Oprah Winney in the seven-furlong Barbara Fritchie Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. II) in February, Silmaril's biggest claim to fame was defeating Ashado in the Pimlico Breeders' Cup Distaff Handicap (gr. III) in May 2005.
Rose was able to lag behind a fast pace before angling Silmaril to the outside at the top of the lane. She swept past the speedy Ticket to Seattle in the final 100 yards to win going away by 1 1/2 lengths. The final time for the six-furlong event was 1:09 2/5 on a fast track.
Ticket To Seattle, who clicked off fractions of :21 4/5, :44 3/5 and :57 on the inside, maintained her lead under Kendrick Carmouche in the stretch but could not hold off Silmaril, who carried co-high weight of 121 pounds. Stronach Stables' Sugar Swirl, trained by Bobby Frankel, finished a half-length behind in third for jockey Mario Pino.
G City Gal, the 2-1 favorite trained by Todd Pletcher, stalked the pace on the outside but had nothing left in the final furlong, finishing fourth. Sheets, the narrow second choice, was fifth, while Cajun Mistress and Akronism trailed.
The winning share, $120,000, increased Silmaril's earnings to $946,153. The dark bay mare is out of the Spend a Buck mare Kattebuck. Although Silmaril generally appreciates a little more distance, she has now won her last three tries at six furlongs and is four-for-six in her career at the distance.
Sent off as the sixth-longest price in the field, she paid $15.80, $7.20 and $4.80. She teamed with the longest shot in the field, Ticket to Seattle ($8.80, $4) for a $92 exacta. Sugar Swirl was $3.60 to show.
Ticket to Seattle was part of a Steve Klesaris-trained entry with Cajun Mistress.
(Chart, Equibase)