NEWS
Secret Kin bags elusive win in Isaac Murphy Handicap
Posted: Saturday, June 19, 2010 9:21 PM
SECRET KIN
FourFootedFotos.com
For video of the Isaac Murphy Handicap, click here.
by Mike Curry
After finishing second in the Isaac Murphy Handicap last year and fifth in 2008, Secret Kin closed from off the pace to earn an elusive win on Saturday at Arlington Park in the six-furlong race for fillies and mares.
The $87,900 Isaac Murphy was one of six stakes for Illinois-breds on Arlington’s Prairie State Festival card.
Secret Kin finished second by a length to Nicks in last year’s Isaac Murphy, but she blew past that opponent and four others in the final quarter-mile to win this year’s edition by 1 1/4 lengths. Ridden by Jesus Castanon, the six-year-old Sea of Secrets mare completed six furlongs in 1:11.32 on the synthetic Polytrack surface for her third career stakes win.
Trainer and owner Mike Stidham claimed Secret Kin for $62,500 from breeder Team Block out of her previous start, a third-place finish in a one-mile optional claiming race on turf on May 30 at Arlington.
Shrewd Operator opened a commanding early lead as the 7-to-5 favorite in the $92,250 White Oak Handicap and cruised to his first stakes win. (video) The Team Block homebred Twining gelding completed the six-furlong race for three-year-olds and older in 1:10.42.
Cumulonimble earned her first stakes win in the $96,035 Lincoln Heritage Handicap for fillies and mares (video), and My Sonny Boy posted his first stakes victory in the $89,350 Black Tie Affair Handicap (video) for three-year-olds and older, both at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.
Trained by Wayne Catalano for owner Two Bucks To Show, Cumulonimble covered the distance in 1:45.33 on turf rated as yielding.
My Sonny Boy closed from last in the eight-horse field to prevail in 1:45.24 on the yielding ground for trainer Scott Becker and owner-breeder William Stiritz.
Also on the card, Big Looie dueled for the early lead in the $89,900 Springfield Stakes (video) for three-year-olds and shook free in the stretch to prevail by 2 1/4 lengths as the 2-to-1 favorite and win for the fourth time in six starts. Heavenly Lass completed a last-to-first rally to post a clear win in the $95,350 Purple Violet Stakes (video) for three-year-old fillies.
For Equibase charts, click here.
Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
