It had been almost two years since SILENT RUNNER had won a race, but on Friday at Century Mile in Nisku, Alberta, the speedy dark bay gelding ended that streak with an upset win in the $51,500 Spangled Jimmy Stakes for owners Dennis Dale, Tom Rycroft and Ed Welsh. Rycroft also trains.
Ridden by Rafael Zenteno, Silent Runner was 31-to-1 in the strong field of 11 which included 2022 Canadian Derby (G3) winner Great Escape. Settling off the front runner Sir Bregovic, Silent Runner bided his time to the turn before challenging the leader with Asyourbelieve sticking close by while three wide. While most of the field were in a bit of a traffic jam into the stretch, Silent Runner grabbed a short lead and went on to win by 1 3/4 lengths. Great Escape got going too late and finished second with Decoy third.
The time was a sizzling 1:22.12 over a very fast main track. His Beyer Speed Figure was 72.
Silent Runner, a two-time stakes winner at Woodbine at two and three, was claimed for $32,000 from breeder C. Scott Abbott from a race last November. The son of Silent Name (Jpn) – Flashy Consort by Bold n’ Flashy had never raced on a traditional dirt track before he began his Alberta career and he had a second, fourth and fifth in his first three starts for Rycroft and company this year.
The Spangled Jimmy was the sixth career win for Silent Runner. The video is below.
Also on the Friday card at Century Mile, MISSCZECH (Cairo Prince), owned by Kirk Sutherland, won the Shirley Vargo Stakes by 3/4 of a length as the favourite in the 7 furlong race for fillies and mares. Trained by Gonzalo Anderson, Missczech was winning for the second straight time this year and the 12th time in her career from 31 races. She was claimed by Sutherland for $20,000 last spring at Turf Paradise. Missczech earned a 68 Beyer Figure for 1:22.40.
