As one of just two existing stakes winners in the $147,000 Ben Ali Stakes (G3) at Keeneland April 10, Tom Durant's Silver Dust's class was apparent before the race, but it was even more evident during the running.
Facing bids from every one of his four rivals in the 1 1/8-mile contest in the slop, the son of Tapit turned back all comers for an unwavering half-length victory over favored Night Ops, the other stakes winner in the race. The entire field was separated at the finish by less than a length.
Silver Dust, a temperamental 7-year-old gelding, didn't begin particularly well Saturday, hopping at the start and spotting the field a length or two. But he was on target thereafter, pulling jockey Adam Beschizza into contention to press fractions of :23.79 and :47.63 set by Sprawl. Silver Dust then took a narrow lead with six furlongs in 1:12.31, and he maintained a small advantage to the wire.
An excited Beschizza gave his mount an appreciative pat on his shoulder just past the wire. The victory, accomplished with a final time of 1:50.21, was well earned.
"He's a very talented animal and he's proven at this level," Beschizza said. "These small fields, I feel like he gets a hold of the race a lot easier. Today he had a nice stalking position and he had a hold of the race at the right time. He took the bull by the horns and he dug deep."
Night Ops rallied from fourth to grab second, a neck in front Beau Luminarie in third. Sprawl weakened to fourth and Treasure Trove was last of the compact field.
Winless for over a year since taking the Mineshaft Stakes (G3) in February 2020 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, a stretch of six consecutive defeats, Silver Dust paid $11.20 as the third betting choice. The Ben Ali followed a seventh-place finish in his seasonal debut March 7 at Fair Grounds, a race that came on turf, a surface on which he is unplaced in two starts.
"He's been ready to throw a race like this and Bret's done a great job with him," said Jade Lowder, assistant to winning trainer Bret Calhoun. "Five-horse field, outside trip the whole way. I think he really liked the track and liked the going."
Dirt is where he has earned nearly all of his $975,677 bankroll, buoyed by victories in the West Virginia Governor's Stakes (G3) and Mineshaft Handicap (G3) during his 5-year-old season in 2019. He has a 7-7-5 record from 33 starts, 31 of which have been on dirt.
Bred in Kentucky, Silver Dust is one of two graded stakes winners out of the stakes-winning Hard Spun mare Filare l'Oro, the other being 2020 Discovery Stakes (G3) winner Forza Di Oro (Speightstown ).
Graded stakes winners more distant in Silver Dust's pedigree include Gouldings Green, Stop Traffic, and Cross Traffic .
Silver Dust was a $510,000 purchase by Durant from de Meric Sales at the 2016 Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. De Meric purchased the gray for $270,000 at the 2015 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where he was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent for breeder Don Alberto Corporation.
Video
