Norman Stables’ consistent Silent Bird, with Fernando Perez in the saddle, scored his fourth consecutive victory Thursday with a hard-fought half-length triumph in Del Mar’s feature race, a seven-furlong sprint on the main track.
Silent Bird, whose only loss came in his career debut a year ago at Los Alamitos, outfinished Prospect Park in the stretch, with El Huerfano third and 8-5 favored Conquest Cobra fourth in a field of seven horses. Guns Loaded was withdrawn from the line-up.
Silent Bird, a son of Summer Bird trained by Mark Glatt, went postward a closed second choice at 8-5 and returned $5.20, $2.80 and $2.20. Prospect Park, a 4-1 shot, paid $3.60 and $3, while El Huerfano returned $4 to show. Time for the distance was 1:22.68.
There were three perfect tickets in Thursday’s Pick Six and each was worth $11,856.20. The Single Ticket Pick Six Jackpot increased to $41,385 for Friday’s eight-race program which begins at 12:30 p.m. The fall Bing Crosby season concludes Sunday.