On one hand we have the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) winner. Plutarch and the kidnapper of Sam F. Davis Stakes Defector both from seven-time top sires In mischief – already the sire of three Kentucky Derby winners – out of mares of Curl : Plutarch from 2015 champion 3-year-old filly Stellar wind and the winner of the $975,000 yearling purchase Renegade from the classified stakes Herb is tasty herself a daughter of grade 1 scorer Lady Dorothy .
At the other end of the commercial scale comes a duo from the first crop of a pair of stallions currently fetching just $5,000. One of these is the Withers Stakes winner, bred in New York Talk to me Jimmy a son of Modernist and the other Silent tactics successful in the $1 million Southwest Stakes (G3), and on Tacitus .
Talk to me Jimmy
Talk to Me Jimmy, who fetched $31,000 at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, had competed just twice in the Withers Stakes, a race in which he went wire-to-wire to triumph by 11 lengths. Third by a New York bred girl over a mile Aqueduct racecourse in September he returned to run a similar race at Aqueduct on November 9 by 5 1/2 lengths.
Modernist, a son of Uncle Mo who is based at Darby Dan Farm, won three of 11 starts over three seasons. Like Talk to Me Jimmy, Modernist entered the Road to the Derby, winning the 2020 Risen Star Stakes (G2) and finishing third in the Louisiana Derby (G2). At the age of 4 he added another success in the Excelsior Stakes (G3).
Talk to Me Jimmy’s mother, Prairie Trip, a daughter of Trippi, was an extremely durable performer who made 56 starts in five seasons and won 10 times, although only at a modest level, ending her career by scoring in a $4,000 claiming event at Delaware Park. However, she is a half-sister to another stakes producer in Russian River, whose son Marckie’s Water captured the 2019 Charles Whittingham Stakes (G2T). There is nothing special among the third dam, the Storm Bird mare Steady Gaze, but she is a half-sister to Worth Avenue, successful in the 1989 Tempted Stakes (G3), and to Saxon Shore, third dam of Nicoletta, winner of the 2019 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (G1).
Steady Gaze was out of the Reviewer daughter Sweeping View, who was in good form in 1977 at the age of 2 when her efforts included a second place in the Astoria Stakes and a third in the Sorority Stakes (G1). The mother of Sweeping View is the follow-up mare Miss Swapsco. Miss Swapsco, owner of a pedigree that includes 1936 Epsom Derby winner Mahmoud and his very fast half-brother Mirza II, 2×3, captured three black events, including the 1968 Ashland Stakes.
At stud she produced stakes winner and producer Vite View (a full sister to Sweeping View), stakes winner Secreto’s Glory, and, most importantly in the long run, Ballade, dam of siblings Glorious Song (a champion in Canada and the United States, and herself dam of sires Singspiel, Rahy and Rakeen); Devil’s Bag (1983 champion 2-year-old male and a successful sire); and Saint Ballado (multiple stakes winner and an excellent sire). In addition to those previously mentioned, Miss Swapsco is also the ancestor of eight other Group or Grade 1 winners, including Mezzo Soprano, a highweight in Europe; Vivlos, a champion in Japan; other Japanese highlights Big horse Verxina and Danon Chantilly; and 2002 Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes (G1T) scorer, Sligo Bay.
Talk to Me Jimmy is bred from the TrueNicks A++ cross of Indian Charlie and sons and grandsons of Trippi mares, producing four stakes winners from just 19 starters. Through her sons AP Indy (grandfather mother of Modernist) and Honor Grades, father of the second mother of Talk to Me Jimmy, he also has the double of Weekend Surprise.
Silent tactics
Silent Tactic, who came from last to first in a 12-horse field to win the Southwest Stakes by 3 1/4 lengths, was a bit of a long shot at 12-1, and was at least the second seed of his stable behind the Smarty Jones Stakes winner, according to punters Strategic risk who eventually finished 10th. This was the second win in four starts for Silent Tactic, who had achieved a maiden victory Woodbine on his debut last October, and went on to finish second in the Gray Stakes (G3) and second 4 1/2 lengths behind Strategic Risk in the Smarty Jones Stakes. He had raised $60,000 as a yearling, but then made $500,000 at the 2025 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Spring Sale of 2-year-olds in training.
Silent Tactic wins the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park
Like Modernist, Silent Tactic’s sire, Tacitus, scored on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. In fact, he won the 2019 Tampa Bay Derby (G2) and Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) before crossing the line fourth (increased to third after the disqualification of Maximum safety ) in the Derby itself. He did not win again that year, but did finish second in the Belmont Stakes (G1), Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) and Travers Stakes (G1), and third in the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1). He remained in training at age 4, adding a win in the Suburban Stakes (G2), a second in the Woodward Handicap (G1) and a third in the Jockey Club Gold Cup before retiring to stud at Taylor Made Stallions. By means of Carpet out champion Close shutters he is a full brother of the heroine of last year’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1), Scylla and to the judged winner Slats down .
Silent Tactic is not only the winner of the first stakes of his father’s first crop, but he is also the first – of only three starters so far – for Rifle runner as a broodmare sire. His mother, the once raced Magical Sign, is a half-sister of classification rider Moraz comes from the AP Indy mare Malvinia. Malvinia is a full sister of Malibu Moon and of Lady Nichola, the mother of the judged winner Worth Repeating. Malvinia is also a half-sister to stakes-placed Mutually Benefit (dam of stakes winner Compelled) and to Curriculum (dam of rated winner and sire, Temple city ). The third mother, Macoumba, a daughter of Mr. Prospector, was a group 1 to 2 winner in France, just like her own mother, Maximova.
Bred on the back of the prolific Gun Runner/Tapit cross – already responsible for 10 stakes winners, seven of which have been graded, including the current classic hopeful Paladin —Silent Tactic has an intriguing pedigree. He is inbred to the 4×3 AP Indy, and both Tapit and Tacitus are bred on versions of an AP Indy/Unbridled (Fappiano) cross, with Silent Tactic’s mother being a Fappiano/AP Indy cross. Additionally, Close Hatches, Tacitus’ dam, and Silent Tactic’s broodmare, Gun Runner, are both Fappiano/Storm Cat crosses.
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