Bodemeister colt wins hard-fought Churchill MdSpWt

Silent Decree, making his first start around two turns, battled his way to a half-length win in a 1 1/16-mile Churchill Downs maiden special weight affair for 2-year-olds on Oct. 1 (VIDEO).

The gray/roan is the sixth winner this year for first-year sire Bodemeister, who is solidly entrenched in the top 10 on the 2016 First-Crop Sire list.

Owned by Chuck and Maribeth Sandford LLC, Silent Decree was bred in Kentucky by Hargus and Sandra Sexton and Silver Fern Farm LLC. The colt is out of Tap Softly, a Tapit mare who is three-time stakes placed and is a daughter of Astarita S. (G2) winner Silentlea.