It was a first winner for SILVER STATE on Sunday when Swamp King broke his maiden in an Ellis Park Maiden Special Weight in his second start.
Racing for Claiborne, Swamp King broke from the inside gate in the one-mile turf race and settled a few lengths off the leader from his rail position. The colt didn’t stay there for long, going to the front half-way down the backstretch and starting to build a margin.
By the time they entered the turn, Swamp King had a length on the rest of the field and Axel Concepcion asked him to expand from there. Swamp King had multiple lengths on the field in the stretch but a late closer cut the lead down to a neck at the line.
Trained by Riley Mott, the Clark Farm-bred is out of the stakes winning La Piba, who has four winners from five to race after Swamp King’s victory.
La Piba is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Mobil Solution and to the dams of Grade 2 winner West Coast Belle and the stakes placed duo of King Cyrus and Coexistence. Swamp King’s third dam is the four-time Grade 1 winner Dispute, whose other descendants include Group 1 winners Gear Up, Nanabush, and Nanda Dea.
A top racehorse, SILVER STATE’s first juveniles were popular in the sales ring this year with his yearlings selling for up to $335,000.