At 16, Silent Cash Dasher is the oldest horse still racing in North America.

On August 16, Silent Cash Dasher scored the 19th win of his 87-start, 13-year career, at Blue Ribbon Downs in Sallisaw, OK, making him the second-oldest American Quarter Horse to ever win an official race in North America. The oldest is Go Devil, who last raced in 1967, at the age of 18.

In a sport with the majority of its participants competing in futurities for 2-year-olds and derbies for 3-year-olds, Silent Cash Dasher has captured the hearts of many racing fans because of his longevity.

“He had them outrun pretty near all the way from the gates to the wire,” said the gelding’s owner and trainer Gary Earp, following the 330-yard dash. “He lacked just a hair outrunning them by daylight. The old man, Roy Brooks, just sat on him.”

The $15,000 claiming race was a triumph of age. Earp, a retired heavy equipment operator, is 65; rider Roy Brooks turned 68 on August 1. The runnerup, Bay To Bay, is a 4-year-old, while the second-oldest horse in the race was 10 years younger that Silent Cash Dasher.

It was the first victory for the stakes-placed gelding since September 15, 2008, when he scored by 1 1/4 lengths in a starter allowance for 3-year-olds and up.

“He pulled up just fine,” said Earp, following Sunday’s race. “I’m going to keep running him until he can’t win any more.”

Bred by Carl J. Kirby, also of Jay, OK, Silent Cash Dasher, with earnings of $166,747, was sired by the Dash For Cash son Dash Easy and is out of Barrbom Babe, by Silent Devil (no relation to Go Devil).