Secret Message captures Mint Julep at Churchill in thrilling finish at the wire
Secret Message edged La Signare by a head at the wire in a thrilling finish to Saturday’s 44th running of the Grade 3, $100,000 Old Forester Mint Julep Stakes at Churchill Downs in Louisville on Saturday. Zofelle finished a neck behind in third and She’sonthewarpath was another head back in fourth.
Juliet Foxtrot, the 8-5 favorite in the field of 14, contended for the lead with a furlong to run but finished sixth. Secret Message, trained by Graham Motion and ridden by John Velazquez, ran 1 1/16 miles on firm turf in 1:43.13.
“I was just sort of biding time there on the outside and she kept finding her stride down the lane and was able to get up late,” Velazquez said.
Mitchell Road dictated the pace early with Juliet Foxtrot a length behind. Juliet Foxtrot, who made her first start in 181 days since a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Matriarch, drew even with Mitchell Road leaving the final turn and the two matched strides down the homestretch. Zofelle poked her head in front at the sixteenth pole but Secret Message and La Signare were closing fast. The eventual winner raced in the clear down the middle of the track while the hard-luck runner-up had to briefly check behind the fading pacesetters before finding room late.
“Both horses ran such a huge race,” said Brendan Walsh, trainer of both La Signare and Zofelle. “We ran second and third by a head. Those are really tough beats when you lose by that close of a margin but we are really proud of both of their efforts.”
Secret Message returned $53.40, $21 and $15.20 at odds of 25-1. La Signare, under Ricardo Santana Jr., paid $22.60 and $15.20. Zofelle paid $7.80 to show.
This was the sixth win for Secret Message, who previously won last year’s Nassau and Dahlia and the 2018 Pucker Up.
The One’s a winner
Bell’s the One displayed a powerful late kick in the stretch, running down speedy pacesetter Break Even to win Saturday’s 17th running of the Grade 3, $100,000 Winning Colors by 3 lengths. Mia Mischief, the 4-5 favorite, finished another 2 1/2 lengths back in third.
Ridden by Corey Lanerie and trained by Neil Pessin, Bell’s the One ran 6 furlongs over a fast track in a swift 1:08.70 to collect her fourth career stakes win. Last fall, the 4-year-old daughter of Majesticperfection won the Grade 2, $250,000 Raven Run at Keeneland.
Break Even was the expected leader in the field of eight fillies and mares and she delivered while zipping through an opening quarter-mile in :21.28. Mia Mischief, the winner of last spring’s Distaff at Churchill Downs, tracked close behind in second with Bell’s the One unhurried in sixth. Bell’s the One was roused for her best run at the head of the stretch, drew even with Break Even at the sixteenth pole and drew away with ease in the final stages.
“She is really talented,” Lanerie said. “When she switches leads like that she has such a strong turn of foot and really finishes strong.”
The victory was worth $60,140, which pushed her career earnings to $461,240 from a record of 6-2-0 in 12 starts. Sent to post at odds of 13-1, Bell’s the One paid $28.20, $9.80 and $4.20.
Derby prep added
Churchill Downs announced Saturday that the Ohio Derby has been converted to a prep race on the “Road to the Kentucky Derby.”
The Grade 3 Ohio Derby will be run for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds at 1 1/8 miles on Saturday, June 27, at Jack Thistledown Racino in North Randall, Ohio, and will feature a $500,000 purse. Qualifying points toward a sport in the Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5 will be awarded to the top four finishers on a 20-8-4-2 scale.
Upcoming Kentucky Derby prep races
(Qualifying points for top four finishers in parentheses)
June 6: Grade 1, $400,000 Santa Anita Derby, 1 1/8 miles, Santa Anita (100-40-20-10)
June 20: Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes, 1 1/8 miles, Belmont Park (150-60-30-15)
June 27: Grade 3, $500,000 Ohio Derby, 1 1/8 miles, Thistledown (20-8-4-2)
July 4: Grade 3, $150,000 Los Alamitos Derby, 1 1/8 miles, Del Mar (20-8-4-2)
July 8: Grade 3, $300,000 Indiana Derby, 1 1/8 miles, Indiana Grand (20-8-4-2)
July 11: Grade 2, $600,000 Blue Grass, 1 1/8 miles, Keeneland (100-40-20-10)
July 18: Grade 1, $1 million Haskell, 1 1/8 miles, Monmouth Park (100-40-20-10)
Aug. 1: $100,000 Shared Belief, 1 1/16 miles, Del Mar (50-20-10-5)
Aug. 15: $150,000 Pegasus, 1 1/16 miles, Monmouth Park (20-8-2-1)
This story was originally published May 30, 2020 at 8:20 PM.