April 10, 2016
There was plenty of turf experience in the Grade III Thunder Road at SA on Friday afternoon but it was a horse cutting back in distance who handled the one-mile the best as Secret Song, a charging sixth in the Diarmida at GP last time out, handled the quicker pace to aplomb and sprinted home to score by nearly a length. From the first crop of maiden sire Secret Ensign, from a dam who had six winners from her first seven foals, he was a state-bred stakes winner but had never come through in open company and now sports six career victories and more than $300.000 in earnings from 22 career starts.
Outside speed established the early running in the Thunder Road as veteran Breiterate (11.05) and favourite Kenny Wisconsin (*3.65) got to the lead from General White (9.05), who was able to get down to the rail before the first turn. As those three lined up through the first split of 22.98, My Behrens (9.80) tucked into a nice position with the backfield lined up almost four-wide and into the backstretch, the leader was traveling nicely but with constant pressure. General White increased his speed along the fence through the first half-mile in 46.02 but into the far turn, Secret Song (8.35) looked like the real danger with a consistent move wide from midpack. The two leaders continued to battle around the final bend with Breiterate still trying to make his move and My Behrens crying for room and with six-furlongs in 1:09.23, the pace was quick enough to set up for those sitting close to the early fractions. The field really bunched up at the head of the lane as General White tried to keep going inside and as everyone looked for a lane, Secret Song already had his and came up at the 1/16 pole en route to a 1/2-length score over Candy Memories (8.00), who found room closest to the rail to outfinish a charging Charley Sweetback (15.50) for second. General White, Kenny Wisconsin and My Behrens failed to quicken in the final furlong and wound up in midpack, Fusaichi Seven (12.40) came on very wide to outfinish Breiterate, and Bad Mouth (5.15) and Edge Of Chaos (4.75) finished up the track despite being well-backed.
Secret Song spent much of last year trying to find the right distance and class level and seems to have found things at the right time, with a huge effort in the Grade III Thunder Road from off the pace against a field that really did not know how to close. From here on out, it becomes a much more difficult schedule with the big meetings starting up at CD and SAR but the Grade III American Stakes looks like a great spot to continue, over the same course and distance as here and with the chance to build going into the Grade I Read at DMR.
Congratulations goes out to owner Blushing Meadows and their five-year-old gelding Secret Song, a going-away winner of the Grade III Thunder Road at SA!
Prediction Charley Sweetback / Secret Song / My Behrens
Winner Secret Song
Five-year-old gray gelding
Secret Ensign-Last Song (Aberdeen)
Owner Blushing Meadows
Time 22.98, 46.02, 1:09.23, 1:33.21
Overall
Secret Song 8.35 tracked midpack, wide rally, up in time
Candy Memories 8.00 back early, rail ride, got second
Charley Sweetback 15.50 broke slowly, between rivals late
General White 9.05 inside trip, failed to menace
Kenny Wisconsin *3.65 set pace, evened out
My Behrens 9.80 caught behind runners
Fusaichi Seven 12.40 no threat
Breiterate 11.05 stalked, faded
Bad Mouth 5.15 outrun
Edge Of Chaos 4.75 outrun
Triple T Racing 🙂
Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES
