
Jul 21, 2012: Silver Max heads into the winner’s circle at Colonial Downs after the Grade 2 Virginia Derby.
One of my favorite horses in training right now is Silver Max, still the only horse to have beaten two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan since that one’s win streak started in the summer of 2012. I’ve been following Max since he broke his maiden in early 2012, and I couldn’t be more pleased to see him continue his career this year. He has excelled on the turf, and it looks like he’s still got it at 5 years of age–he won the Grade 2 Firecracker at the end of June in his first race back since a 4th in the Breeders’ Cup Mile in November 2013.
I’ve seen Silver Max race a few times in person, and happened to be walking by Dale Romans’ barn at Churchill Downs at the end of April while he was out getting a bath. Co-owner Mark Bacon was unwrapping peppermints for Max, so I had a chance to speak to him for a few minutes. He seemed really pleased with his horse’s progress at that point, and it looks like it was well-founded optimism. I hope Silver Max continues his winning ways this year!