After the speedy Silver Slugger suffered an injury in his only start at 2, and then missed his entire 3-year-olds campaign because of it, trainer Juan Carlos Avila wondered if his patience in nursing the 5-year-old gelding back to health would ever be worth it.

Sunday, he could say it definitely was.

Silver Slugger, the 1-2 favorite, broke alertly and was never headed in rolling to a 4 ½-length victory in the Rumson Stakes at Monmouth Park for his first career stakes win.

The winning time for the five furlongs was :57.98.

“I’m very happy with the way he ran today,” said Avila, who wheeled the Kentucky-bred back in 10 days. “He raced once at 2, did not race at 3 and only raced twice at 4 and the owners waited patiently until he was ready and I am very appreciative of that. I am so happy to see this horse get a stakes win. He’s 5 years old now and has won eight races the past two years.

“It was frustrating waiting but this makes it worth it.”

Owned by former major league all-star Victor Martinez’s Victorias Ranch, Silver Slugger was 2-for-2 last year as Avila eased him back. He is 6-for-10 this year, including a near-miss in the Grade 3 John A. Nerud Stakes on May 10 at the Belmont at Aqueduct meet.

Jockey Paco Lopez sent Silver Slugger to the lead early, with Northern Flame hounding him through a :22.28 opening quarter, but that was the only threat to the winner, who easily shook off the pressure.

“My goal was to get the lead immediately and he broke good so I was able to get him in front easily,” said Lopez. “I was worried about Super Chow (on the outside) and I knew (Northern Flame) was very fast but when I broke I was right there and managed to get in front of both of them. He was comfortable the whole way.”

Super Chow was second, a neck better than Northern Flame in the five-horse field.

Silver Slugger returned $3.00 to win. He is now 8-for-14 lifetime with two seconds.

“He’s a fast horse,” said Avila, who has 15 wins from 53 starters at the meet. “He can sit behind horses if he has to but he was faster than anyone else in this race so Paco sent him to the lead and that was it.”