Santa Anita: Secured Freedom breaks through in Affirmed

After settling for minor shares in three straight graded stakes, Secured Freedom received a touch of class relief Monday and responded with a breakthrough victory in the $100,000 Affirmed Stakes for 3-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita.

Sent off the 6-5 favorite, Secured Freedom swept to the lead under Hall of Famer Joel Rosario inside the quarter pole and finished best of all to prevail by 1 3/4 lengths over One More Freud (11-1). Constitution Andi, a 35-1 long shot, finished third, followed across the wire by Decisive Win (2-1), Litmus Test (5-2), Mo Koko (17-1) and Court of Appeal (61-1).

Secured Freedom raced about seven lengths off the pace when Mo Koko posted a half-mile split in 45.47 seconds. He covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.32.

"They took the blinkers off today and there was plenty of speed in the race, so I was just hoping to settle and make a run. He got it done," said Rosario, who rode Secured Freedom for the first time.

By Practical Joke out of the Uncle Mo mare Securely, Secured Freedom is trained by Tim Yakteen for owners Leslie Amestoy, Pierre Jean Amestoy Jr. and Roger Beasley.

"He's a big horse and he's just late developing mentally. I think today was a big step forward. We took the blinkers off of him, he had a strong pace to run at and Joel ended up taking advantage of all of that. We will regroup after this and figure it out. There are plenty of spots out there for 3-year-olds, we will just go from there," Yakteen said.

In three prior starts this year, Secured Freedom finished third in the Robert B. Lewis (G3) in February at Santa Anita and fourth in both the San Felipe (G2) at Santa Anita and the Pat Day Mile (G2) at Churchill Downs on the Kentucky Derby undercard May 2.

Secured Freedom paid $4.60, $2.20 and $2.10. One More Freud, ridden by Mike Smith for trainer Bob Hess Jr., returned $5.20 and $3.40. Constitution Andi, with Victor Espinoza aboard for trainer Mike Puype, paid $4.60.