Secretariat Stakes (Grade 2)- $500.000 Purse
CNL- For Three Year Olds
One Mile on the Turf
August 9, 2025
CNL will get its chance to host several good races this Saturday, and here we will look at the running of the Grade 2 Secretariat Stakes, which is for three-year-olds on the turf course. This is a race that formerly had been contested at AP but moved to CD for 2022 and then here to CNL in 2023. Some past winners of the race include Ashkalani, People Doubted, and Penal Hockey Party. Last year’s race saw Virtual Handyman grab the win for Riggins Racing. It’d be his last stake win as of now, and he was very recently claimed for $25.000 by Onlineracingclub.com. Works aren’t bad, so don’t call him done just yet. Now, let’s look at the six who look to become the next name added to the winner’s list:
1- Whiskey Law (Invicta Group Llc, ridden by J Alvarado)- Made it to the BC Juvenile Turf last fall, but never seemed to get going after that race and would be sold for $20.000 in May to Invicta Group Llc. The new trainer had new confidence in the horse, and entered him back into the stake level, picking up a pair of seconds in ungraded races, with the last one being the $100.000 Oceanside Stakes at DMR three weeks ago. The rare Arkansas-bred will returns to the graded level for the first time since the BC.
2- Rolling Rolling (High Voltage, ridden by D Van Dyke)- In his seven career starts, the only time that Rolling Rolling won was also the only time that he had run on the grass. Otherwise, he had a rather non-eventful career in overnights before being claimed by High Voltage for just $10.000 in mid-July. This is his first race since, with a big work on the 29th at DMR going along with the fact that the only time he won was on the grass getting the trainer confident to run him here. Obviously, he does not have the resume, but don’t go ruling him out.
3- Big Blue (Mb Stables, ridden by D E Centeno)- Ran fourth in the BC Juvenile Turf Sprint last year, and has adapted well to running long since then. In this type of race, he’s won two of four, including the Grade 3 Transylvania Stakes at KEE and the Grade 3 PEN Mile. The other two races are not just non-wins but are duds. He had been consistent before that, so I lean towards not worrying too much about them but can’t completely erase that concern.
4- Bear Head (Maxmillion Farm, ridden by A Jimenez)- After a successful career with Martyparty, Bear Head was sold to Maxmillion Farm for $200.000 shortly after running fifth in the PEN Mile. His biggest wins prior to that were in a pair of ungraded stakes, and he would debut for his new trainer in the Grade 1 BEL Derby at SAR last month. Picked up the fourth-place check there, though was still beaten by three lengths. The trainer can now apply what he learned from that, and we’ll see what kind of improvement we see from him.
5- Medvedev (Sccj Stables, ridden by T Conner)- Medvedev was also in the BEL Derby last month, and did one spot better than Bear Head. He’s only won once over his eleven starts but has been reliable for hitting the board when running on the turf. Prior to the BEL Derby, he was third in the Grade 3 Pennine Ridge at the Spa, and it does not seem to matter whether it is wet or dry. Looking for that breakout win, and this could be the day. I said similar about Happy Dancer last week, who ended up winning. I pick him to do the same.
6- Calder (Mb Stables, ridden by F Prat)- Last week, a lightly raced horse named Keto was entered by Mb Stables into the WV Derby, and he got the win. Calder will be looking to follow that lead, as the gelding makes the fifth start of his career here. He’s not quite as raw his stablemate was, since he did run in the American Derby six weeks ago at CD, and was third, though beaten by four lengths. The weather probably cooperates, so that is good news, but 25% four days out, on HRP, is too high to say it won’t be wet at all.
Prediction: 5-3-4-6
— NS
Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES