Secret Message Steals the Show in Pucker Up Stakes
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Photo: Coady Photography
Secret Message comes from behind to win the Pucker Up Stakes at Arlington International Racecourse
Saving all her energy for the deep stretch, Secret Message gave it all she had in the final seconds to pull away from the pack and win the $100,000 Pucker Up Stakes (G3T) Aug. 11 at Arlington International Racecourse.
With a swift break from the gate, In the Mood took an easy lead and set the pace for the 1 1/8-mile test. She set fractions of :23.76, :48.54, and 1:13.22 through the first six furlongs. On the outside raced 3-1 favorite Beyond Blame, who stalked the pace and pressed the leader as the 12-horse pack of 3-year-old fillies moved swiftly along the back of the course and came into the second turn.
But as the field hit the top of the stretch, the balance of power began to shift. Moving up with surprising late speed from 11th to 10th to fourth, Secret Message and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. swung seven wide on the outside as an exhausted In the Mood fell behind. Beyond Blame made a brief attempt to challenge but was quickly matched stride-for-stride by Pamina who took command by a head.
With a furlong left to run, Secret Message dug in and cut a path through the frontrunners to overtake Pamina in the final strides and hit the wire 1 1/4 lengths ahead in 1:50.01.
"I think she's going to get better and better," winning trainer Graham Motion said after the race. "I think she loved the distance today and I think that there's room for improvement."
Secret Message entered the Pucker Up off fourth-place finish in the June 16 Regret Stakes (G3T) at Churchill Downs contested over the same distance. The Regret was the first step up to graded company for the 3-year-old Hat Trick filly, who broke her maiden Jan. 20 at Turfway Park.
"We really took our time after the last race at Churchill," Motion said. "It was very hot that night, and she got very upset. She behaved great today and just showed up."
Bred in Kentucky by Allen Tennenbaum, the filly is owned in partnership by Madaket Stables, ERJ Racing, Elayne Stable 5, and Bouchey Thoroughbred Ventures. Secret Message improved her record to 3-1-0 from seven starts with earnings of $104,317.