In the run up to the 2015 Kentucky Derby, the Thorobros took a good hard look at the past 20 years of Derbies and tried to rank the top twelve. We were able to arrive at this highly scientific ranking through a complicated logarithm that generated a foolproof list of the best Kentucky Derbies of the past two decades. This year’s renewal of America’s most famous horse race looks to be particularly strong – perhaps we will have a new addition to these rankings come May 3, 2015.
Number 6: Silver Charm (1997)
Bob Baffert and Bob and Beverley Lewis – the Killer B’s – took Silver Charm from a $16,500 yearling, whom they purchased privately for $85,000, to being one of the best horses ever, and a near Triple Crown winner. Charm was Baffert’s first Derby winner, ushering in an era where the biggest name at Triple Crown season was generally “Baffert.” Indeed, that is the case this year. Silver Charm also prevailed in a year that featured a true Triple Crown rivalry involving truly excellent horses, besting Free House and Captain Bodgit in the Derby and the Preakness, and then beating Free House again in the Belmont, while losing narrowly to Touch Gold, tantalizingly close to a Triple Crown
Prelude
Silver Charm had six starts before the Kentucky Derby, and showed his class in all of them, with three firsts and three seconds. He broke his maiden in his second start at Del Mar, and then would go on to capture the Del Mar Futurity (G2) to conclude his brief two year old season. ‘Charm next surfaced as a three year old, opening his season in the San Vicente at Santa Anita, prevailing over Free House and putting up a 110 Beyer speed figure, then a 13 point career top. It was the beginning of an epic back and forth rivalry with Free House that would stretch through the 1997 Triple Crown season.
Silver Charm then came back in the San Felipe, but this time Free House turned the tables on him, winning by three quarters of a length. The two rivals would square off again in the Santa Anita Derby, and this time Silver Charm had a new jockey. Gary Stevens took over for Chris McCarron for the SA Derby, but on that Saturday it made no difference as Free House once again prevailed, this time by a mere head. So the stage was set for Louisville, as the West Coast’s best were set to once again go head to head, but this time, they would be joined by the Wood Memorial winner, the best of the east, Team Valor’s Captain Bodgit.
The Race
What a fantastic Kentucky Derby. Silver Charm gets a world class ride from Gary Stevens, rating off the lead for the first three quarters of a mile. The early part of the race is a fairly controlled duel between Pulpit and Free House, with a first half mile in 47 seconds and change. The early pace scenario also featured Shammy Davis, which I mention only because it is a funny name. Silver Charm sat just behind those leaders, ready to pounce. As the field moved around the far turn, Silver Charm was ready to pounce.
Stevens and ‘Charm make a perfect move off the turn, just as Free House takes over the lead. Phantom on Tour was in behind those horses, with Jerry Bailey looking around for running room. As the horses hit the top of the stretch, Silver Charm wears down Free House and Pulpit, although both horses fought gamely down the lane, with Free House eventually finishing third and Pulpit hanging on desperately for fourth. But Silver Charm was far from home free – Captain Bodgit, the favorite, was looming. Streaking down the middle of the track as Dave Johnson gives his signature “and down the stretch they come” call, Captain Bodgit closes on Silver Charm, and Silver Charm comes out ever so slightly, bothering Captain Bodgit just a bit. Was that the difference in a race decided by a half-length? Personally, I don’t think so. Once Captain Bodgit pulled next to Silver Charm, ‘Charm showed just how tough a horse he was, finding another gear and stopping Bodgit’s rally long enough to hit the wire. The celebration that followed showed just how great a race it was and how important the win was to ‘Charm’s connections. Stevens, Baffert and the Lewises all go crazy as Dave Johnson gushes about how good a Derby it was.
Silver Charm would once again tangle with Captain Bodgit and Free House in Baltimore, prevailing once again to set up a chance for history in New York. Neither Free House nor the Captain were deterred, however, as the connections for both horses announced their intentions to move ahead to the Belmont, seeking to deny Silver Charm the ultimate prize. Later in the week after the Preakness, ‘Charm’s chances got just a bit easier, as Captain Bodgit’s connections announced that the horse had sustained an injury at Pimlico and would be retired. The announcement derailed the third act of what was shaping up to be one of the great three horse rivalries in racing history.
It was not to be at Belmont for Silver Charm, with Touch Gold running on to deny Silver Charm the Crown. Silver Charm finished a respectable second, and was turned out for some well-deserved time off.
Aftermath
The aftermath of Silver Charm’s Triple Crown run was fantastic. He took basically the rest of his three year old season off, coming back in the G1 Malibu in December, finishing second over 7 furlongs. He came back with a vengeance during his four year old year, however, winning the San Fernando and the Strub at Santa Anita, before making the journey to Dubai to take the 1998 Dubai World Cup by a nose. He hit a bit of a rut upon his return stateside, finishing second in the Stephen Foster and an unsightly fifth – by 27 lengths – in the San Diego. He busted out of his slump big time in the Kentucky Cup Classic at Turfway, however, winning by 17 lengths and posting a ridiculous 123 Beyer speed figure. He followed that up with a win in the Goodwood and a second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, losing to Awesome Again (the same horse that had beaten him earlier in the year in the Foster). For good measure, Silver Charm came back and won the Clark to close out his year. Despite his stellar four year old season, Silver Charm lost horse of the year to Skip Away, who had reeled off 9 straight graded stakes victories before going down in defeat in the ’98 Jockey Club Gold Cup and the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Silver Charm came back for more in ’99, the San Pasquale and then putting up show performances in the Donn and the Big Cap. The ’99 Big Cap, won by Free House, was a great race, and Silver Charm’s 118 Beyer was only good enough for show honors. Silver Charm again made the journey to the Middle East, but could do no better than sixth in the ’99 Dubai World Cup. He followed that up with a 4th in the Stephen Foster before calling it a career.
Silver Charm retired to Three Chimneys Farm in 2000. He spent the next four breeding seasons in the U.S. before going to Japan. His foals include multiple graded stakes winners Preachinatthebar, Miss Isella, and Spring Waltz. In 2007, Silver Charm was elected to the Racing Hall of Fame.
