Promise Me Silver 'Unlikely' for Martha Wash
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Trainer Bret Calhoun said next-race plans are pending for Promise Me Silver, who remained unbeaten in five lifetime starts with a neck victory in Thursday’s $100,000 Dixie Belle Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.
The 6-furlong race was originally scheduled to be run Jan. 9, but Oaklawn canceled racing last week because of severe winter weather.
Calhoun said the date change makes it unlikely that Promise Me Silver will make her two-turn debut in the $100,000 Martha Washington Stakes Jan. 31.
“It’s a little close back,” Calhoun said Friday morning. “There’s not a lot options sprinting right now, really anywhere. There’s more opportunities stretching out right now, but the Martha Washington - I would say it’s unlikely.”
From the first crop of Silver City, Promise Me Silver has won at five tracks in four states (Texas, Kentucky, Louisiana and Arkansas) and is a four-time stakes winner. Calhoun said Promise Me Silver has shown the ability to rate in her last two races, something her speedy sire couldn’t do in his brief racing career. Calhoun saddled Silver City to win the $50,000 Dixieland Stakes in 2009 at Oaklawn.
Promise Me Silver was coming off a 5 ½-length victory in the $50,000 Letellier Memorial Dec. 20 at Fair Grounds.
“She’s learned how to rate,” Calhoun said. “Her last two races are evident of that. Before that, she was kind of speed oriented, kind of wanted to be up in the race and close to the lead. Now, she’s willing to turn off and settle and be wherever she needs to be.”
Finish Lines
Trainer Jinks Fires said Simply Confection was scratched from Thursday’s Dixie Belle after she came up with filling in an ankle and heat in a knee. Fires, who had planned to use the Dixie Belle as a prep for the Martha Washington, said he believes Simply Confection will still run at the meeting. … Trainer Mark Casse said he’s pointing Mississippi Delta, a winner of 2 of 3 career starts, including the $125,000 Glorious Song Stakes Nov. 22 at Woodbine, for the Martha Washington. Mississippi Delta missed the Dixie Belle after coming up with a minor illness, Casse said, days before the race was originally scheduled to be run. … Training was delayed 90 minutes Friday morning because of a frozen racing surface.
Source: Oaklawn Park Communications
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