by Ron Parker
C. S. Silk made the transition from maiden winner to graded stakes winner look easy on Saturday as she led at every call for a convincing six-length victory in the $150,000 Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes (G3) at Arlington Park.
The one-mile race drew 11 two-year-old fillies and serves as a prep race for the Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) on October 24 at the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita Park.
Trained by Dale Romans, C. S. Silk left her challengers battling for runner-up honors in the Arlington-Washington Lassie.
The Medaglia d’Oro filly charged to the lead under Robby Albarado while setting strong fractions of :22.33, :45.59, and 1:10.37 through six furlongs on Arlington’s synthetic Polytrack surface. Broadway Hennessey pressed C. S. Silk while racing on her inside but could not stay with the winner as they turned into the stretch.
C. S. Silk pulled away from the field, steadily increased her advantage, and crossed the finish line unchallenged in 1:36.38.
Runner-up Quite the Lady was three-quarters of a length ahead of third-place finisher Phola.
Owned by the partnership of William Pacella, George Bonomo, and Fred Barbara, Romans purchased C. S. Silk, as agent, for $120,000 at the 2007 Keeneland September yearling sale.
Prior to the Arlington-Washington Lassie victory, she won a maiden special weight race at Churchill Downs by 6 ¼ lengths in her second start on July 6.
Out of the stakes-winning Settlement Day mare Remember the Day, C. S. Silk has nearly covered her purchase price with earnings of $116,505 while winning two of three starts.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Ron Parker is a Thoroughbred Times contributing writer