Kentucky Derby Horse Profile: Silent Tactic

Feb 10, 2026 John Mucciolo/TwinSpires.com

Silent Tactic wins the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park. (Photo by Coady Media)

John Oxley’s three-year-old horse Silent Tactic picked up 20 important points on the 2026 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series after posting an impressive, 3 1/4-length score in the $1 million Southwest (G3) at Oaklawn Park on Feb. 6. The Mark Casse-trained three-year-old clocked 1 1/16 miles on the fast track in 1:44.85 with Christian Torres riding.

“He’s a horse that doesn’t need to be close,” Torres said. He’s very easy to ride. There was plenty of speed, obviously, in the race, and it really helped me. That’s why when he broke, I put my hands down and let him be comfortable wherever he wanted. I knew he was going to respond because last time in the Smarty Jones, there was no pace, and he still closed. So, I was pretty confident going into this race with him. (Three-eighths pole) is when I knew I had it won. He wanted to go, and I just waited a little bit longer. I knew when I got him clear, he was going to fire for me. Good horse, hopefully, he’s going to keep improving. The more distance the better, I think.”

SILENT TACTIC with a last to first win in the G3 Southwest and picks up 20 points towards the @kentuckyderby! 🔇🌹@markecasse trains the son of Tacitus and @cristiantorr64 was aboard!

At 12/1, the colt paid $26 to win. 💰

🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/wbw8JL3i9L

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) February 6, 2026

Soldier N Diplomat (10), Buetane (6), Rancho Santa Fe (4), and Circle Tap (2) finished second through fifth and also earned Kentucky Derby qualifying points.

Silent Tactic made his first start at Woodbine on Oct. 10 in a 1 1/16-mile tilt on the synthetic surface and won at first asking when drawing clear to a two-length tally. The gray horse jumped into the stakes ranks for his second try, and he displayed a nice closing kick once again when finishing a rallying second under the wire. In his initial run of 2026 in the Smarty Jones S. at Oaklawn on Jan. 3, the colt closed from last to be second in his first run on conventional dirt. From four lifetime races, the horse boasts a 4-2-2-0, $594,422 lifetime mark.

The son of young sire Tacitus was bred in Kentucky by Don Alberto Corporation and was purchased twice at public auction. In 2023, as a yearling, the horse was purchased for $60,000 at Fasig-Tipton in October of that year, and he then attracted a closing bid of $500,000 at OBS in April as a two-year-old in 2024. He was produced from the Gun Runner mare Magical Sign and is from the same family as Grade 3 winner and good sire Temple City.

Silent Tactic has earned Brisnet Speed ratings of 75-83-80-92 from his four lifetime runs to date. He will be pointed towards the $1.25 million Rebel (G2) at Oaklawn Park on March 1, according to his conditioner.