WILGERBOSDRIFT’s new stallion Tiger Ridge has sired his first Group 2 winner. First Klass Stable’s Leah’s Secret (Tiger Ridge) seized command in upper stretch and led the rest of the way in Saturday’s $300,000 Raven Stakes in Keeneland and, registering an 18-1 upset while notching her first graded win.
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Tiger Ridge.
Ridden by Mark Guidry, the Helen Pitts-trained filly stalked the pace in third before launching her rally and was never seriously threatened through the stretch drive, winning by three-quarters of a length while stopping the timer for seven furlongs over the Polytrack in a new track record time of 1:22 3/5.
“We had a great trip,” Guidry said. “I was in the catbird’s seat all the way.”
Sent off the seventh choice of 12 sophomore fillies, Leah’s Secret returned payouts of $38.80, $20.20 and $11.60. Vestrey Lady (Vicar), who tracked the pace in second but could not match strides with the winner into the stretch, gamely held the place at 17-1 and gave back $13.60 and $9.20. It was a half-length back to the late-rallying Ex Caelis (Fusaichi Pegasus) in third, who paid $10.40. The exacta was worth $490, the trifecta $26,441 and the 6-5-12-4 superfecta, with 2-1 favorite Windy (Wild Rush) another neck back in fourth, totaled $189,035.40.
Starry Pie (Pioneering) finished fifth and was followed by My Lucky Free (Mazel Trick), Chandelle No. Five (Yes It’s True), Morner (Broken Vow), Cherokee Jewel (Cherokee Run), Sabatini (Five Star Day), Jazzy Okie (King of Scat) and Lake Alice (Mt. Livermore), who set the pace in :23 1/5 and :46 2/5 before retreating to last. Capote’s Crown (Capote) and Original Spin (Distorted Humor) were both withdrawn.
Bred in Florida by Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds, Leah’s Secret has now earned $282,252 from an 8-4-0-1 line. The dark bay lass captured her stakes debut, winning the Lazer Show H. at Churchill Downs in early July, but she was probably overlooked in her graded bow Saturday due to a fifth in the Weekend Delight S. in her previous outing. Purchased for $50,000 at the 2004 OBS August sale, Leah’s Secret is the first foal out of the winning Lady Cruella (Capote), who has also produced an unnamed yearling full sister to the winner. The 10-year-old mare’s granddam is Great Lady M. (Icecapade), dam of Horse of the Year and $3 million earner Lady’s Secret (Secretariat).
