Silver Skillet returns to the grass and lands another stakes victory in Sunday’s Port Washington at Aqueduct. Susie Raisher/NYRA Photo.
Christophe Clement met Joel Rosario in the Aqueduct paddock before Sunday’s $116,250 Port Washington Stakes and offered one bit of advice for the latter’s ride on odds-on favorite in the New York-bred turf stakes.
“Just be comfortable, she’s doing well,” Clement said.
A few minutes later Rosario put Silver Skillet on the lead against her three foes in the 1 1/16-mile Port Washington, didn’t fight the daughter of Liam’s Map when she appeared headstrong early and let her settle around the first turn and into the backstretch. Silver Skillet responded and dominated the field en route to a 7-length victory.
“She broke a little slow, and got going with a little bit of speed, but I was able to slow it down on the backside a little bit and she did the work,” Rosario said. “Very nice. She’s really talented and sometimes she likes to do her own thing. She’s just a racehorse.”
Silver Skillet, who won in 1:43.33, added the Port Washington on closing day of the Belmont at the Big A meeting to her victory last month in the off-the-turf Mount Vernon Stakes during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course. She’s won five times in 14 starts with three seconds and two thirds for Clement and owners Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Tango Uniform Racing and Steven Rocco. The $68,750 winner’s piece of the Port Washington boosted Silver Skillet’s bankroll to $440,240.
“It’s always nice to win, especially when you train for your friends,” Clement said.
Bred by Robert Chasanoff and foaled at Blue Chip Farms in Wallkill, Silver Skillet earned champion New York-bred turf female honors last year after winning twice and finishing second three times in seven starts. She won an allowance and Suzie O’Cain Stakes at Saratoga and placed in a pair of stakes downstate.
Silver Skillet made her third start of 2024 in the Port Washington, after opening the year with a fourth in an open allowance April 25 at Aqueduct and the Mount Vernon June 9.
Facing just three following the scratches of Whatlovelookslike and main track only runners Bustin Bay and Bon Adieu, Silver Skillet went to post as the 1-2 favorite and backed up the support.
Silver Skillet clicked off splits of :23.22, :49.04 and 1:13.10 before withstanding a mild challenge from 12-1 longshot Lisa’s Vision around the far turn. Silver Skilled spurted clear in the stretch and drew off from there. Lisa’s Vision held second, 2 lengths ahead of 9-5 second choice Marvelous Maude with Snowy Evening fourth.
Joseph Migliore, agent, purchased Silver Skillet for $260,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. She’s the second foal out of the stakes-winning Red Giant mare Catcha Rising Star. Chasanoff purchased Catcha Rising Star, winner of the 2016 West Virginia Senate President’s Cup Stakes and the earner of $235,050, for $85,000 at the 2017 Keeneland November breeding stock sale.
Catcha Rising Star produced her first foal, the New York-bred Congrats filly Gianduia, in 2019. Silver Skillet came next and Catcha Rising Star was sold in foal to New York-based stallion Honest Mischief to Thorndale Farm for $53,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale.
Catcha Rising Star’s 2023 filly by Honest Mischief, named Ineedapop and bred by Eaton & Thorne Inc., was purchased by The Elkstone Group for $35,000 at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale.
