Paynter filly kicks off 2019 with Silverbulletday S. victory

Needs Supervision made the jump into stakes company in Saturday’s $150,000 Silverbulletday S. at Fair Grounds and came away with a three-quarter length victory that could put the 3-year-old Paynter filly on the road to the Kentucky Oaks (G1)

Needs Supervision is the first stakes winner this year and sixth overall for her sire, who was the number three Second-Crop Sire of 2018 with five stakes winners, topped by Breeders’ Futurity (G1) champ Knicks Go.

Caught three-wide going into the first turn, Needs Supervision settled in third behind Fun Finder, who led the field through a half-mile in :49.57 before she began to recede. Liora took over the top spot on the final turn, but Needs Supervision was in hot pursuit, and after a tussle in upper stretch, took over the lead. Eres Tu gave chase in the final furlong, but the winner held her off to score in 1:45.34 for the 1 mile and 70 yards [WATCH RACE].

“I was confident because of the type of filly she has been from day one,” trainer Jeremiah O’Dwyer said. “Different bunch today while stepping up in class against nice fillies, and she proved today she can handle any surface. I’ll have to discuss [the next step] with the owners.”

Bred in Kentucky by Mike Abraham, Needs Supervision was purchased by O’Dwyer for $55,000 at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Mid-Atlantic Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale.

The win was Needs Supervision’s third in four lifetime starts, and she earned $90,000  to boost her bankroll to $168,030 for the partnership of Howling Pigeon Farms, Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable and Madaket Stables.

Needs Supervision also earned 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks challenge series.