Bold Thunder Rumbles in Silks Run

Bold Thunder got off on the right foot at Gulfstream Park Wednesday to post a front-running victory in the $75,000 Silks Run Stakes.

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Coming off a disappointing ninth-place finish in the Gulfstream Park Turf Spring on Feb. 1 after an awkward break, the 4-year-old son of Bold n’ Flashy assumed the lead a few jumps out of the starting gate Wednesday and continued on to post a 2 ½-length victory in the five-furlong turf stakes.

“Last time, he got scratched up in the gate and when he didn’t break good, I knew he wasn’t feeling good,” jockey Paco Lopez said. “Today, he was much, much better in the gate. When they opened the gate, he was ready to run. I knew nobody was going to catch him.”

The Patricia Farro-trained colt ($15.60) set the pace along the backstretch and around the turn, chased by Gulfstream Turf Sprint winner Wicked Tune and stalked by Determinato and Varsity. After straightening for the stretch run, Lopez asked Bold Thunder for some run and the Kentucky-bred responded and drew away. Varsity, the 2-1 favorite who received a ground-saving trip under Joe Bravo, closed to finish second, a neck ahead of Wicked Tune and jockey Elvis Trujillo. Travelin Man, the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint runner-up and 3-1 second choice, was never a factor during a fifth-place finish.

Claimed by Farro for owner Andrew Sulley for $25,000 at Parx in June, Bold Thunder ran five furlongs on turf in 55.22 seconds. Bold Thunder’s first stakes victory, worth $45,000, was the fourth win since being claimed by his connections.

Lopez, Farro and Sulley pulled off back-to-back victories when Defiant posted a front-running romp in the eighth race, a 7 ½-furlong turf race for $16,000 claimers.