Our Secret Agent Back to Form in Whimsical Victory
Image:
Description:
Photo: Michael Burns
Our Secret Agent wins the Whimsical Stakes at Woodbine
Gary Barber's Our Secret Agent cruised to a daylight victory in the Whimsical Stakes (G3) on Mother’s Day May 8 at Woodbine.
The Mark Casse trainee relaxed out of the gate, sitting near the middle of the seven-horse field early, before angling to the outside after the opening quarter-mile in :22:89 over the synthetic surface. With clear track ahead, Our Secret Agent continued to build momentum, teaming up with Artie's Princess (Reylu Gutierrez) through the half in :45.56 before pulling away by 2 3/4 lengths at the wire in 1:09.62. It was her fourth win in 17 career starts and her first victory in three races since taking the Hendrie Stakes (G3) Oct. 23.
Boardroom, the even-money favorite, and Dreaming of Drew completed the trifecta,
Winning jockey Kazushi Kimura was a little surprised by the smoothness of the 5-year-old mare at six furlongs, slightly shorter than her preferred distance.
“I was already feeling like today was going be a very tough race. Maybe I’m more surprised today,” a smiling Kimura said. “She’s best at the (longer) distance, the six furlongs and a half. Today, maybe it’s too short, but at the beginning she was quite smooth to get the good position and she was just keeping fit (at the end).
“I was thinking that Luis’ (Contreras) horse, Boardroom , and Artie’s Princess, for sure were going to show some speed, and Gary’s (Boulanger) horse, too. But, at the break I didn’t push her much, just [enough] to see if I could get a position. I didn’t feel any pressure from the outside, so it was so easy for her.”
Our Secret Agent was bred in Kentucky by Paul Tackett Revocable Trust. The daughter of Secret Circle is out of the stakes-placed Holy Bull mare Avalos, who has also produced multiple graded-stakes winner Hotshot Anna (Trappe Shot ).