Pegram-Baffert’s Memorable Work of Art – Silverbulletday’s Winning Sprees

Michael Pegram and his pair with the reputed trainer, Bob Baffert, became a legendary association after their joint effort, Silverbulletday, scaled new heights in thoroughbred racing. The Hall of Fame filly retired with more than $3million in career earnings and led the championship for two years, 1998 and 1999 in fillies’ division.
Silverbulletday was out of Grade 2 stakes races winner, Rokeby Rose. Damsire Tom Rolfe was a champion three-year-old colt and also a Preakness winner. Silverbulletday is considered to be one of the most crucial and high earning asset of owner Pegram and when she began being conditioned by Bob Baffert, the returns witnessed an exponential jump. After a maiden win at the Churchill Downs in June ’98, Silverbulletday was running for the Grade 3 Debutante Stakes, again at the same racetrack. In two months, Silverbulletday’s connections had stepped her up to Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar in which she again cruised to victory.
Her fourth start again at the same race track took place within 3 weeks of Sorrento, which however, pushed her into a speed duel tiring her to a fourth place finish in a six furlong Grade 2 Del Mar Debutante Stakes. Silverbulletday, but, rose back to stardom with as she won her next start at Keeneland, in the Alcibiades Stakes, where she raced one and one sixteenth miles finishing 2 ½ lengths clear of the runner up, Extended Applause.
The most crucial two year old racing event took place when Silverbulletday participated in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile Fillies. The filly’s will to lead the field was intercepted by heavy contention by Excellent Meeting, Three Ring and Extended Stakes, however, Silverbulletday managed to pull off a safe ½ lengths lead on runner up and maintained a winner’s position. She ended her two-year-old campaign with one last victory in the Grade 3 Golden Rod Stakes. She was awarded the Champion Two-Year-Old Filly for the season.
As the filly’s three year old campaign set off after three months of rest, Silverbulletday returned with her dominant form winning five races in a row, all being graded stakes against potentially strong contenders. She began her 1999 winning spree with the Grade 3 Davona Dale Stakes and the Fair Ground Oaks going on to Grade 1 events, the Ashland Stakes and the Kentucky Oaks and finally the Grade 1Black-Eyed Susan Stakes. In the latter two, she consistently defeated multiple stakes winner Dreams Gallore by 2 lengths in each.
Her latter half of the season was impressive though not as impressive as her two year old demolishing campaign. Silverbulletday later finished seventh in the Belmont Stakes only to return to form for a three race stint. She won the Monmouth Breeder’s Cup Oaks, the Alabama Stakes and the Gazelle Handicap. Post this intermittent winning spree, Silverbulletday rarely excelled again showing limited response towards winning. She raced only twice more as a three year old finishing second in the Beldame Stakes and sixth in Breeder’s Distaff. Her line of victories as a three year old kept her afloat for the Champion Three year Old Filly award. However, a similar magic next season was missing.
The four year old season was short though it began with a win at the Doubledogdare Stakes. Silverbulletday then finished fifth in the Louisville Breeder Cup Handicap, and managed a second place finish in both the Fleur de Lis Handicap and the Breeder’s Cup Handicap. In her last race before retiring, Silverbulletday finished third in the Delaware Handicap. She had however flanked higher than the $3million mark in career earnings. As a broodmare, Silverbulletday made satisfactory produce by sires A.P.Indy and Storm Cat. In her honour, Grade 3 Silverbulletday Stakes are held each year at Fair Grounds for three year old fillies.
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