M. Dubb and High Grade Racing Stable’s Silver Timber rallied
from well off the pace before drawing clear in the lane to take the $100,000
Wolf Hill Stakes as Lady Alexander held on by a desperate nose to capture the
$100,000 Red Cross Stakes on Saturday at Monmouth Park.
Trained by Chad Brown, Silver Timber raced the 5 ½ furlongs over firm turf in
1:01 flat and paid $3.60, $2.40 and $2.20 as the odds-on choice in the field of
eight colts and geldings. It was two lengths back to True to Tradition, who
paid $13 and $8.60 and completed the $37.60 exacta. Blue Sailor, the early
pacesetter, was another length back in third, good for a $4.20 show mutuel.
“This old boy is just absolutely awesome,” said winning jockey Joe Bravo, after
capturing his fourth race on the program. “He’s always calm, cool and collected
and loves to win. He’s definitely a talented runner and he shows it time after
time.”
The Wolf Hill victory was the 12th in 33 starts for Silver Timber, a 7-year-old
gelding by Prime Timber from the Alwuhush
mare River
Princess. He has now banked $595,519.
After setting the early pace in the Red Cross, Lady Alexander was headed by
Rated Fiesty in mid-stretch, but battled back to hold on by a nose over the
hard charging Christine Daae, the 8-5 favorite in the field of seven fillies
and mares.
Ridden by Carlos H. Marquez Jr., Lady Alexander stepped the six furlongs over a
fast main track in 1:11 2/5 and returned $11.60, $4.40 and $2.80. Christine
Daae completed the $38 exacta and paid $3.60 to place and $2.40 to show. It was
a length and three-quarters back to Rated Fiesty, who returned $2.60 to show.
“We do know she loves Monmouth
Park,” said winning
trainer Bruce Alexander. “We really don’t know her best distance. I told Carlos
(jockey Marquez) before the race that she has a fair amount of talent, but her
best attribute is her determination.”
A 6-year-old daughter of Exchange Rate from the Housebuster mare Lady Ironwood,
Lady Alexander now sports a record of six wins in 14 lifetime starts * four of
those wins coming at Monmouth. Racing in the colors of Rosemarie Kesselring,
Lady Alexander has now earned $255,008.
Live racing continues at Monmouth
Park on Sunday. In
addition, the racetrack will host the Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Festival,
with lives bands from noon to 8:00 p.m.