Raymundos Secret, Maxim Rate lead Goldikova Stakes field

In top form and bidding for her third consecutive win, trainer Phil D’Amato’s Raymundos Secret, along with Simon Callaghan’s classy Maxim Rate, head a field of seven fillies and mares 3 and up going one mile on turf in Sunday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Goldikova Stakes at Santa Anita.

A gutty gate-to-wire winner of the John C. Mabee Stakes (G2) going 1 1/8 miles on turf on Sept. 5, Raymundos Secret should relish the cutback in distance, as she’s won four out of her five starts at a flat mile.

Second in the Rodeo Drive (G1) at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Santa Anita on Sept. 26, Maxim Rate has three wins from six tries at one mile on grass and will be ridden by Umberto Rispoli, who guided her to a pair of wins this past summer at Del Mar.

RAYMUNDOS SECRET

Owner: Sierra Racing & Sterling Stables LLC 

Trainer: Phil D’Amato

Idle since October of last year, this 4-year-old Florida-bred filly was off at 4-5 and stalked the pace en route to taking a second condition allowance by a neck at one mile on turf Aug. 14 in what was her first start for D’Amato. Off as the 7-5 favorite in the Mabee (G2) on Sept. 5, she held sway by a neck under Flavien Prat, who rides on Sunday and is now a perfect three for three with her. A first-out maiden $32,000 claiming winner at one mile on grass Jan. 16, 2019, Raymundos Secret now has five wins from seven starts as she bids for her second consecutive Grade 2 victory.

MAXIM RATE

Owner: Slam Dunk Racing & James D. Branham

Trainer: Simon Callaghan

A one-mile turf allowance winner on July 10 at Del Mar, this 4-year-old Exchange Rate filly gutted out a game neck victory in an ungraded stakes going a mile and three eighths on Aug. 16. Most recently second, beaten 1 1/4 lengths in the Rodeo Drive (G1) at 1 1/4 miles on turf Sept. 26 with Luis Saez, she’ll be reunited with Rispoli on Sunday as she seeks her second graded stakes victory. With an overall mark of 12: 4-3-0, she has earnings of $282,185.