Kentucky-Bred Colt is Silver State's First Foal

Grade 1 winner Silver State sired his first reported foal when a colt out of the winning Bodemeister mare Hope So was born at Hartwell Farm near Keene, Ky., according to a Jan. 24 post on Twitter by Claiborne Farm. "The bar is set high @hartwellfarm after our first foal of 2023 arrived," Hartwell Farm tweeted Jan. 24. Hope So is out of the grade 2 winner Sweet and Ready (El Prado), making her a half sister to multiple graded-placed winner Sweet and Flawless (Unbridled's Song) and stakes-placed winner Matikanetamakazura (Kingmambo). The immediate family also produced multiple grade 1 winner and millionaire Vasilika. Silver State, a 6-year-old son of Hard Spun, raced from 2 to 4 for Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing. Trained by Steve Asmussen, he won his racing debut in a dead heat with Relentless Dancer by 9 3/4 lengths. At 3, he placed in the Lecomte Stakes (G3) and Risen Star Stakes (G2), and then really separated from the pack at 4 when he racked up consecutive wins in the Fifth Season Stakes, Essex Handicap, Oaklawn Handicap (G2), and Metropolitan Handicap (G1). He won the Met Mile by a length over By My Standards, Mischevious Alex, and eventual 2021 Horse of the Year Knicks Go. Silver State was retired with a 7-3-2 record from 14 starts and $1,933,094 in earnings. He stands at Claiborne this year for an advertised fee of $20,000.