The flashy Golden Lad colt OXIDE delivered an eye-catching maiden victory on the first day of Churchill Downs' spring meet on Saturday, May 16. One of the top choices in the 12-horse field of 3-year-olds seeking their first win, he pressed the early leader, took control turning for home and powered away down the stretch to win by five and a half lengths going a mile and a sixteenth on the wet-fast main track.

OXIDE races for Joe Sutton, who purchased him for $120,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale from the consignment of Cary Frommer. The blaze-faced chestnut trained by Eddie Kenneally had finished third twice in earlier efforts. He put on a show before his win, dazzling onlookers in the post parade and warm up, and proved as dazzling at the finish as he strode home brilliantly.

Bred by Dark Hollow Farm and sold for $50,000 as a yearling at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Fall sale, OXIDE is from the noteworthy family that includes Maryland-bred champion Not for Silver and the $2 million record-equaling juvenile Mercantile, half-brothers to OXIDE’s dam Silver Ashlee bred by Dark Hollow in partnership with Will DeBurgh and George Harris.

Not for Silver was named state-bred champion 3-year-old and champion sprinter for a year in which he won or placed in five stakes, three graded. His two stakes wins included the Grade 2 Carry Back. He would retire with career earnings of $303,870 from 19 starts. Other recent stakes performers in the family are graded stakes-placed Put Da Blame On Me, out of Silver Ashlee’s stakes-winning half-sister Roman Chestnut. OXIDE is one of three winners from four starters out of Silver Ashlee bred by Dark Hollow.