By J.N. Campbell
For the majority of the previous century Aggies tried to gig'em some Horns, Bears attempted to boil the Owls, Red Raiders fired at Horned Frogs, and the Coogs, the Stangs and 'dem Hogs rounded out what were some raucous match-ups in the bygone era of the Southwest Conference.
As the saying went for those Texas college sports teams who were joined by the University of Arkansas, “If you're going to compete, you might as well win.”
Well, the old conference may have broken up back in the 90s, but you can still find a rumble in the region that will shake your bones. One of the Thoroughbred variety took place at Oaklawn Park on Friday. After being put off a week because of weather, the 59th running of the GIII Southwest Stakes not only sported an eye-catching $1-million purse, but also doled out a tiered set of Kentucky Derby points–20 went to the winner.
Owner John Oxley and trainer Mark Casse had two Southwest chances in 7-2 shot Strategic Risk (Noble Bird)–who won the first leg of the Arkansas series when he took the Smarty Jones last month–and with Silent Tactic (Tacitus), a higher- priced 12-1 shot here. The latter is the one who mounted a stupendous late run and gave Casse his fourth win on the day.
A $60,000 Thorostock buy during the Fasig-Tipton October Sale, the colt was taken home by Justin Casse for $500,000 at last year's OBS April Sale. To prep for the Southwest journey, Silent Tactic began his career at the Casse Training Center in May and then took to the all-weather at Woodbine.
Once the bay won by two lengths and survived an inquiry at first asking in a maiden special weight Oct. 10, his dual Hall of Fame trainer entered him in the GIII Grey Stakes in Toronto Nov. 2 and Silent Tactic finished as the runner-up. Shipping to Hot Springs from Palm Meadows in Florida, the newly minted 3-year-old was up for second behind his stablemate in the Smarty Jones.
Moving in two stalls after a pair of scratches in the Southwest, Silent Traffic exited from one of the outside gates, but was off a step slow, which put him second last as the field headed into the first turn.
On the engine, 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', D'code (Speightstown) was working to fend off challenges through the backstretch and into the far turn from fellow 'Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', Buetane (Tiz the Law) and the able-bodied Soldier N Diplomat (Army).
No one up front was too concerned about Silent Tactic, but they should have been. Spinning into the lane, the colt was mounting a furious challenge down the center of the course.
The Casse longshot chewed up ground, collared the leaders inside the final sixteenth and powered home an impressive winner.
The victory vaulted him to the head of the Kentucky Derby leaderboard. Soldier N Diplomat, who did not have the easiest of trips, garnered the runner-up spot and 10 Derby points for his efforts. Rounding out the distribution was Buetane with five, Rancho Sante Fe (Tapit) with four and Circle Tap (Twirling Candy) with two points.
Silent Tactic with Cristian Torres aboard | Coady Media
After the race trainer Mark Casse said, “The last race, the Smarty Jones, it was his first start ever on the dirt and only had one easy breeze. It's interesting. When I talked to [owner] Mr. [John] Oxley last week, he said: 'What do you think?' I said: 'Honestly, I think Silent Tactic is training better than Strategic Risk. So, we'll see.' We're watching the race and I could see Strategic Risk was struggling, so then I started looking for Silent Tactic and I could see he was coming. He came strong.”
“I worked him [Silent Tactic] before we had the break and he worked beautiful that day [Dec. 27],” said jockey Cristian Torres. “I was pretty confident coming into this race and his fitness. I knew there was going to be a lot of pace in the race, so I wasn't worried about being close or wherever. I just broke and let him be wherever he was going to be and he responded at the quarter pole. He showed up.”
Pedigree Notes:
Silent Tactic is the first stakes winner for Tacitus (by Tapit), who has three crops and 205 foals of racing age to his credit. He has 58 lifetime starters and 14 winners as a stallion.
The Southwest hero is also the first stakes winner of any variety produced by a daughter of Gun Runner (by Candy Ride {Arg}).
The first foal for his unplaced dam, the winner claims a 2-year-old half-sister by Mitole, who the Lone Star Racing Club purchased for $22,000 at the 2025 Fasig-Tipton October Yearling Sale, and a yearling half-sister by Epicenter. Magical Sign visited Golden Pal for this term.
As for Silent Tactic's extended female family, his page includes Don Alberto homebred & MGSP Moraz (Empire Maker), MSW Compelled (War Front), GSW Worth Repeating (Giant's Causeway) and GSW Temple City (Dynaformer).
Friday, Oaklawn Park
SOUTHWEST S.-GIII, $1,000,000, Oaklawn, 2-6, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:44.85, ft.
1–SILENT TACTIC, 117, c, 3, by Tacitus
1st Dam: Magical Sign, by Gun Runner
2nd Dam: Malvinia, by A.P. Indy
3rd Dam: Macoumba, by Mr. Prospector
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($60,000 Ylg
'24 FTKOCT; $500,000 2yo '25 OBSAPR). O-John C. Oxley;
B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY); T-Mark E. Casse; J-Cristian A.
Torres. $495,000. Lifetime Record: 4-2-2-0, $594,422.
Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Soldier N Diplomat, 122, c, 3, Army Mule–Diplomatic Miss,
by Violence. ($950,000 2yo '25 OBSMAR). O-St. Elias Stable;
B-Machmer Hall (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $165,000.
3–Buetane, 117, c, 3, Tiz the Law–Taboo, by Forestry.
($150,000 Ylg '24 FTSAUG; $1,150,000 2yo '25 OBSAPR).
O-Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.; B-Merriebelle Stable, LLC (KY);
T-Bob Baffert. $82,500. 'TDN Rising Star, presented by
Hagyard'
Margins: 3 1/4, HD, NO. Odds: 12.00, 7.50, 3.10.
Also Ran: Rancho Santa Fe, Circle Tap, Liberty National, Sleepingonfreedom, D'code, Spirit of Royal, Strategic Risk, Baytown Dreamer, Reclamation. Scratched: Bricklin, Litmus Test. Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
SILENT TACTIC indeed 🤫 Tremendous last-to-first effort to win Friday's GIII Southwest Stakes at @OaklawnRacing, collecting 20 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. pic.twitter.com/bBITtmVwQ5
— TDN (@theTDN) February 6, 2026
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