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Hall of Fame - Storm and Silence
Original article written by Laura Ferguson posted 14 years 3 weeks agoIt was easy to forget how small (15.2 hands) Storm and Silence actually was, as he carried himself with such confidence, both at the barn and on the track. As a juvenile, he quickly caught the eyes of the clockers, as he floated over the track, skimming the ground, every stride a fluid, eye catching motion. Mary Weather wasn’t around in those days, but trainer (and eventual Hall of Famer) LaDonna King didn’t need anyone to tell her that she had a good colt in her barn.
The dappled grey quickly lived up to his works and his looks on the track, easily winning his debut. Storm and Silence would pick up minor awards in a pair of stakes behind Worldly Manner, then grabbed the limelight for himself in the Champagne Stakes, which he won over stablemate Battle Cry, another son of Storm Bird. With that victory under his belt, the grey had punched his ticket for the big dance, the Steward’s Cup Juvenile, and another tilt at Worldly Manner. He still couldn’t quite get there, finishing third behind that rival, but hardly disgraced. In the future books for the Derby, Storm and Silence was marked as one to watch.
Storm and Silence would face Juvenile runner-up Bet Me Mom in the Santa Catalina Stakes, his lone prep in the Run for the Roses. He turned the tables on “Mom”, scoring an impressive victory, and went into the Louisville Derby looking every bit a legitimate contender. He ran into traffic trouble, and could only manage sixth, losing to the usual suspects, as Battle Cry, Worldly Manner and Bet Me Mom swept the top three positions. He would struggle the rest of the year, failing to hit the board in four more starts, and at that point, no one, even his most confident backers, could imagine that he would end up in the Hall of Fame.
LaDonna regrouped with her prize colt, who despite his small stature, was really a bit of a late bloomer. He began with a closing fourth in the Donn Handicap, behind the immortal Manistique and (surprise) Battle Cry. From that point on, Storm and Silence was stretched out to the classic 1 ¼ mile distance, where he began a campaign that would eventually earn him Champion Older Horse and Horse of the Year honors. He first beet Cavonnier and Old Trieste in the Sunshine Park Handicap, then shipped across the country to defeat classic winners Excellent Meeting and Battle Cry in the Acadia Millions. The frequent flyer miles added up, as Storm and Silence took on the Baltimore Special. After two big efforts and the shipping, he couldn’t quite get there in time, finishing second again to Manistique. The four year old would earn a well-deserved summer freshening, returning to the racing wars in time to win the Jockey Club Gold Cup, and then back down to sunny Florida to contest the Steward’s Cup Classic. Battle Cry awaited him, along with Derby winner (and future Hall of Famer) Tilt A Whirl. It simply didn’t matter as Storm and Silence emerged victorious, in what would prove to be the final start of his career. It had been a sensational season, and the voters rewarded him with all the accolades he deserved.
As much noise as Storm and Silence made on the track, he proved to be something of a disappointment in the shed (particularly considering the wildly successful career of Battle Cry). From 42 foals, he sired only four stakes winners, including Serena Sound ($1.2 million), Silence is Forever (Bluegrass Stakes-G1) and What About Silence (Vanity H-G1). It is through his daughter, Serena Sound, that Storm and Silence truly lives on. The beautiful and gutsy chestnut won seven of nine starts, with both of her defeats coming at the hands of Hall of Famer Sim Goddess. As a racemare, she displayed remarkable range on the track, winning from 4 furlongs to a mile, but ultimately as a broodmare, her best foals were sprinters, including G1 winners Awestruck and Destiny’s Flame. She also produced Sound of Fire, who won the G1 Ruffian Handicap. The most recent G1 winner from this female family is Devine Rush (Ballerina Stakes-G1, etc). Serena Silence, another daughter from the Serena’s Song family line, was a disappointment on the track, but as a broodmare, produced Dubai World Cup winner and $6 million plus earner Power Surge. Storm and Silence may be gone, but is not forgotten.