While Grade 1 Preakness Stakes runner-up Midnight Bourbon will likely take his show on the road, red-hot Silver State could give Winchell Thoroughbreds and trainer Steve Asmussen noteworthy representation on Belmont Stakes Day in the Grade 1, $1 million Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.
Silver State would bring a five-race win streak to New York for the Met Mile for Winchell and Asmussen. Owned by Winchell in partnership with Willis Horton Racing, the 4-year-old Hard Spun colt was given an extended break following a run in the series of Kentucky Derby prep races at Fair Grounds Race Course last year and has done no wrong since returning to action.
Following two allowance triumphs at seven furlongs at Keeneland and Churchill Downs, Silver State began building a prominent resume with a trio of stakes victories at Oaklawn Park this winter, capturing the Fifth Season on January 23, the Essex on March 13, and the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap on April 17.
“We've got the Met Mile under consideration,” said David Fiske bloodstock and racing adviser for Winchell Thoroughbreds. “He went seven-eighths in 1:21 and some change when he won at Churchill, so we feel that anything around seven-eighths to a mile and an eighth would be within his ability.”
Should he make the trip to New York for the Met Mile, Silver State would aim to give Asmussen his third victory in the prestigious race. He previously won back-to-back editions with Bee Jersey [2018] and Mitole [2019].
Fiske added that dual graded stakes-placed Whiskey Double could ship to Belmont Park later in the summer for the Grade 3, $250,000 Dwyer on July 5 if performs well in a Thursday allowance race at Churchill Downs. The son of Into Mischief was second in the Grade 3 Bay Shore at Aqueduct before finishing third to stable mate Jackie's Warrior in the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs.
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