It took three tries this year, but the betting public finally got it right. Silver Button .
In his first two starts of 2024, the 4-year-old Godolphin Lope de Vega The gelding won the Man o’ War Stakes (G2T) and Elkhorn Stakes (G2T) at odds of 4-1 and 5-1 respectively.
His third start proved to be the charm in attracting the interest of gamblers when he was offered at odds of 2-5 and responded with a track record 2 1/2 length victory in the $242,500 Bowling Green Stakes (G2T) on July 28 at Saratoga Race Track.
“He was getting a little bit of a head start there, so he was going fast enough. (It was) a track record,” said Alex Merriam, assistant to winning trainer Charlie Appleby. “So that shows that it was actually a pretty good performance at the start. Back in England, we don’t have a lot of time at home—so it was a little different, but he seemed comfortable with himself. (Junior Flavien Prat) seemed to have a lot in his hands, so I was always pretty confident.”
A multiple Group 3 winner overseas before coming to the United States last spring, Silver Knott has shown promise in his new surroundings.
He failed to win in five starts, but finished third in the Hollywood Derby (G1T), second in the Twilight Derby (G2T) and third in the Secretariat (G2T) and Pennine Ridge Stakes (G2T).
At the age of 4, he has achieved all of that with three impressive victories.
In Sunday’s test, Prat put Silver Knott ($2.80) in front soon after the start and that was all but the end of the play in the 1 3/8-mile grass test. He was squeezed by Ohana honor through the half mile in :47.98 and six furlongs in 1:12.98 while leading by half a length. After fending off that effort, Silver Knott broke away in the stretch and was not challenged at the finish. Soldiers Rise Up And Strong tide fought for second place out of five.
The final time of 2:11.03 broke the course record of 2:11.40 on the artificial turf track.
“There wasn’t much speed in the race,” Prat said. “I thought he was the best horse.”
Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, Morris Bailey, Wonder Stables and Michael Caruso’s Soldier Rising finished second in a result as predictable as Silver Knott’s win. The 6-year-old horse Frankel The gelding may still be looking for his first win, but Bowling Green has marked his fourth consecutive runner-up finish, twice in the Grade 1 and twice in the Grade 2.
Trained by Christophe Clement, he has finished second in six of his last seven starts, with four Grade 1s, earning $1.35 million. He has finished second in 11 of his 22 starts.
“Christophe did well,” said rider Jose Ortiz. “The horse was ready to run this distance. He’s a good horse, but first we need to get him to the finish line. He’s always run well.”
Penny Lauer’s Strong Tide, the English Channel racehorse trained by Michael Lauer, finished third by a neck.
Asked about the possibility of running Silver Knott in the Sword Dancer Invitational Stakes (G1T) on August 24, Marriam said Appleby was pointing to Godolphin Measurement time with a $750,000 purse, while also saying Silver Knott could return in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1T) at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Bred by St. Albans Bloodstock from Nathaniel God Given’s mare, Silver Knott was the first of her three foals and the only winner.
The horse was purchased by Godolphin for $1,035,915 from Whatton Manor Stud at the Tattersalls October 2021 Yearling Auction.
Videotapes: Bowling Green S. (G2T)
