Where better to compete in winter than Oaklawn Park?
Trainer Mark Kass praised the venue, saying, “They handle everything exceptionally well. The track is perfectly suited for their climate, and their dedication to both horses and jockeys is clear. I firmly believe you can’t remain stagnant—you must continually evolve, and they exemplify that commitment.”
Trainer Mark Casse echoed this sentiment after scoring several wins at Oaklawn last weekend.
Last year’s champion 3-year-old filly Nitrogen, by Medaglia d’Oro, made a sharp comeback with a victory in the G3 Bayakoa Stakes on February 7. Meanwhile, her stablemate Silent Tactic, by Tacitus, secured a hard-fought win in the G3 Southwest Stakes the day before, earning a coveted spot in the upcoming Classic.
Having collected Kentucky Derby points from both a second-place finish in the 2025 Grey Stakes and his recent Southwest victory, Silent Tactic currently leads the Derby points leaderboard. His achievements also mark several firsts.
Silent Tactic is the inaugural stakes winner sired by Tacitus, a Tapit son who ranked 16th among freshman stallions last year, producing 12 winners and accumulating $592,332 in earnings during his debut season. Thanks to Silent Tactic’s emergence, Tacitus now tops the list of second-crop sires.
On the dam’s side, Silent Tactic is the first stakes winner out of Magical Sign, a Gun Runner mare who never placed in her single start. Magical Sign was bred in Kentucky by Don Alberto Corporation, the same entity that bred and sold Silent Tactic.
Additionally, Silent Tactic is the first stakes-winning offspring from a daughter of Gun Runner, a leading sire, and certainly won’t be the last.
Born on April 1, 2023, Silent Tactic wasn’t considered the most precocious of Don Alberto’s yearlings and was aimed at the later-season yearling market.
Jockey Nick Sallust noted, “When I saw Silent Tactic consigned by TaylorMade at the October sale, he struck me as the best quality horse within our budget. Initially resembling Pitt, he developed into a refined type with a strong torso, powerful gaskins and hocks, and an impressive stride that he showcased last Friday.”
Silent Tactic was purchased for $60,000 by Solo Stock at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton October Yearling Sale. The bay colt had earlier been brought in by Solo Stock at the OBS April Sale, where he galloped a furlong in 10 1/5 seconds.
While this time wasn’t the fastest among over 100 colts that day—several recorded times near 9 4/5 or 10 flat—Silent Tactic’s exceptional stride and movement garnered a highly respected BreezeFig rating of 67, with a stride length of 24.3 feet.
What truly drew buyers’ attention was his resilience in tough windy conditions during gallop outs. “Despite the strong wind, Silent Tactic was the top ‘breather’ while galloping out, which translated to substantial time gains over the unofficial three and four-furlong splits,” said Sallust. These factors made Silent Tactic one of the standout prospects at OBS.
Trainer Casse shared, “I was making good progress with this colt when my brother Justin called to ask if I liked him. When I said yes, he told me he planned to buy him for Mr. Oxley.”
Listed as Hip 102, Silent Tactic sold for $500,000 to agent Justin Casse on behalf of John Oxley, owner of both the colt and homebred Strategic Risk. Strategic Risk had bested Silent Tactic in the Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn on January 3, with Silent Tactic finishing second but later placing tenth in the Southwest Stakes.
The Smarty Jones marked Silent Tactic’s debut on dirt, followed by his second dirt race in the Southwest. Initially struggling on dirt, Silent Tactic was trained on synthetic surfaces at OBS, winning the G3 Grey Stakes at Woodbine and placing second twice on synthetic. Encouraged by Oxley, Casse decided to test him on dirt again, which yielded improved results. “Before the Southwest, I told Mr. Oxley that Silent Tactic’s breathing had never been better,” the trainer remarked.
At Oaklawn Park’s stretch, the colt demonstrated his ability, completing a mile in 1:44.85 and winning the Prep race by three and a quarter lengths—outperforming all competitors. This is fitting for a stallion prospect with Classic aspirations heading into his key upcoming race.
This article was originally published by the Paulick Report on February 11, 2026, in the Features section. Click here to make the Paulick Report your preferred source.
Fan Take: This news highlights the rise of a promising new star in Silent Tactic, showcasing the depth of talent emerging from top stallions like Tacitus and Gun Runner’s lineage. For horse racing fans, it signifies renewed excitement and the promise of thrilling competitions as these rising horses prepare to make their mark on the sport’s biggest stages.
