Flashy Grey Power Alert Takes Silks Run

Taking command at the top of the stretch and never looking back, the Australian-bred Power Alert notched his first North American stakes victory in Saturday’s $75,000 Silks Run Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

The flashy grey roan ran his unbeaten streak to two since coming stateside last year for trainer Brian Lynch. A 5-year-old son of Alert (ARG), Power Alert first opened eyes when winning an allowance at Gulfstream on Dec. 21, pressing the pace before running off to a 1 ¾-length victory in his first start in the U.S.

The Silks Run played out similarly. Breaking from post eight under Julien Leparoux, the gelding used his tactical speed to secure good early positioning, cruising alongside Amelia’s Wild Ride and just behind front-runners Bold Thunder and Mongolian Saturday as those two set early fractions of 21.20 seconds for a quarter-mile and 43.79 seconds for the half. Once again, Power Alert loomed large around the far turn and seized the lead; Amelia’s Wild Ride tried to close with him but could not get closer than a ½-length.

“With our post outside we were able to control the race,” Leparoux said. “We were outside in the clear and he’s a nice horse. He ran big. He has been doing good in the morning so we were hoping for the best.”

“It was very exciting,” Lynch said. “I’m glad we gave him a little time in between races. This sets him up for opening weekend at Keeneland in the Shakertown (G3, on April 4). They’re all race-to-race projects, but he’s come along very nicely.”

Lynch noted that the race unfolded ideally for his horse.

“[The race] set up the way we thought it would,” he said. “We were hoping everything could unfold on the inside of him from the outside post, so this was just a perfect prep race to come back on opening weekend [at Keeneland]. I don’t think [this effort] taxed him. He won nicely. I don’t think [Leparoux] had to ride him too hard. Julien said, ‘I just gave him one sort of little smack to keep him interested,’ and other than that it was a sit and steer job.”

The final time for the five-furlong Silks Run was 55.80 seconds. Power Alert paid $3.80 to win, while Amelia’s Wild Ride returned $3.60 to place and Mongolian Saturday, 1 ¼-length behind in third, paid $3.40 to show. Stormy Rush, Golden Rifle, Bold Thunder, Prudhoe Bay, and Yes I’m Lucky rounded out the order of finish.

Source: Gulfstream Park