Casse Optimistic Silent Tactic Running in Preakness

Napoleon Solo Arrives at Laurel

LAUREL, MD - A final decision on whether Silent Tactic, the probable morning-line favorite, runs in the 151st running of the $2 million Preakness Stakes (G1), will come Monday morning. Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse said he will wait to see how the son of Tacitus trains at Churchill Downs.

It appears, though, that the decision has been made.

Silent Tactic, owned by John Oxley, will be Maryland bound. Casse said the horse will ship to Laurel Park on Tuesday and he will fly here from his base in Ocala, Fla.

“I am pretty optimistic that he is going to run,” Casse said by phone late Sunday afternoon.

Silent Tactic has one win four starts this year with three seconds.

Silent Tactic, 20-1 on the morning line, was scratched from the Kentucky Derby because of a bruised left front foot, an issue that was declared to be minor. Since then, Casse has been training the horse with a full pad on the foot. He said Silent Tactic changed shoes on Sunday and will have glue-on shoes for his training.

“We have been training him with a full pad on his foot; it covers the bottom of his foot,” Casse said. “You don’t want to run in that (in a race) because you would not get the traction with that foot.”

Irad Ortiz Jr. has been enlisted to ride Silent Tactic, who was last seen finishing second behind Renegade – and Ortiz – in the Arkansas Derby (G1) on March 28.

The Preakness draw is scheduled for between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. at Laurel Monday.

Napoleon Solo Arrives for Preakness

Champagne (G1) winner Napoleon Solo arrived at Laurel Park from New York Sunday afternoon to prepare for the Preakness (G1).

The son of Liam’s Map, owned by Gold Square LLC and trained by Chad Summers, is due to go to the track Monday morning.

After ending his juvenile season with a victory in the Champagne Oct. 4, Napoleon Solo has run twice this year, finishing fifth in the Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream Park and fifth in the Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct.

The gray colt has worked four times since the April 4 Wood, including a six-furlong work May 2 in 1:10.