HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The New York-bred Sterling Silver, who has made the overwhelming majority of her 35 career starts in her home state, made her South Florida debut a winning one when rallying to a 1 1/4-length victory over Necessity Friday at Gulfstream Park in the $125,000 Rampart Stakes for fillies and mares.
Sterling Silver is a five-time New York-bred stakes winner who has been graded stakes-placed against open company on several occasions, including twice this season in the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom and Ruffian stakes at Aqueduct. Previously trained by Tom Albertrani and Bill Mott, she was recently transferred by owner Mark Anderson to Anthony Margotta Jr., who is based locally during the winter, to prepare for the Rampart and an upcoming start in the Grade 2 Inside Information on Jan. 24.
Breaking from the extreme outside, Sterling Silver raced near the rear of the field in the run down the backstretch. However, she was within easy striking distance of the pacesetting Dazzling Move, who was pressed from the outset by 6-5 favorite One Magic Philly. Sterling Silver advanced steadily outside horses on the second turn, came wide while continuing her bid into the stretch, edged clear near midstretch, then held sway under steady handling.
Necessity, who was also entered in an allowance here on Sunday, raced well-placed just off the early leaders. She had to check briefly while awaiting room behind that pair turning for home and continued willingly once clear, but she could not seriously menace the winner while never switching off her left lead down the stretch.
Claret Beret slipped along the rail to loom boldly into the stretch but could not sustain her bid. She was followed in turn by One Magic Philly, Dazzling Move, Gulffaxi, Luvumorgan, and Riding Pretty.
Sterling Silver, a 6-year-old daughter of Cupid, was reunited in the Rampart with jockey Javier Castellano, who guided the veteran mare to a second-place finish in the Ruffian during the spring. She completed the Rampart's mile-long distance in 1:37.28 seconds over a fast track and paid $8.80.
“The trip was ideal. I was very comfortable the whole way and pretty confident when they turned for home,” said Margotta. “She’s a very versatile mare. She’s won long and short, so I have no problem turning her back to seven furlongs next time in the Inside Information.”
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