Secret Gesture Likely to Race Next in Flower Bowl

According to the International Racing Bureau and her connections, Secret Gesture will likely race next in the Grade I $600,000 Flower Bowl Invitational at Belmont Park on Oct. 3. First under the wire in the Grade I $700,000 Beverly D. last out at Arlington International Racecourse, the daughter of Galileo will possibly face the two Chad Brown-trained mares – adjudged victress Watsdachances and runner-up Stephanie’s Kitten – who were placed above her after her disqualification to third by the stewards for hindering the path of the latter.

Secret Gesture, who has now placed in five Grade or Group I races, is also under serious consideration for the Grade I $2,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Keeneland on Oct. 31. She is following a similar path to that of her 2014 Qatar Racing-owned stablemate Just the Judge, who was also third in the Beverly D. before returning to North America to win in Grade I company (in the E. P. Taylor at Woodbine) before finishing third in the Filly & Mare Turf.

IMPRESSIVE MAIDEN WINNER HONOUR CAMP TO KEENELAND

Trainer Ingrid Mason, who has had an impressive meet at Arlington International Racecourse in 2015, unleashed another juvenile to watch on Thursday when Honour Camp wired a field of nine juveniles in a five-furlong dash in :57.62 by six lengths under Julio Felix. The son of speedy stud Put It Back broke like a rocket in what was his second start and was never challenged after breaking from the rail.

“He came out of the race really good and I’m not sure where we’ll go next, but it’ll likely be an allowance at Keeneland,” Mason, who co-owns the dark bay colt with various partners, said. “He wasn’t slowing down at the end, so I can see him stretching out a bit. With a fast horse like him, you kind of want to go a little farther because he can get an easier lead that way.”

Racing on just 13 days’ rest, the Kentucky-bred debuted on Aug. 28 when fifth after racing mid-pack in a six-furlong maiden special weight behind highly regarded 2-year-olds Uno Mas Modelo and Este Es.

“He was a little green that day and wasn’t as sharp out of the gate,” Mason explained. “I was in New York with Sarah Sis that day and I should have given (jockey) Manny (Esquivel) instructions to go to the front, but I wasn’t able to. He didn’t know the colt as well as Julio does, as Julio also works him in the mornings.”

Honour Camp was a $35,000 purchase by Mason out of the Ocala sale earlier this year.

“I bought him and I really liked his breeding,” Mason said. “I like certain nicks and mixtures and he also is such a good mover, that I had to buy him. I spend a lot of times at those sales and really try to find the best stakes-quality horses there.”

CARITA AND SARAH SIS SEEKING WEST VIRGINIA RICHES

Ingrid Mason-trained local duo of Sarah Sis and Carita ship out on Monday for Charles Town Races, where they will each compete in stakes competition on Sept. 19. Multiple graded stakes winner Sarah Sis, who is best known at Arlington for her smashing 14-plus length debut last summer and subsequent second-place finish in the Listed $100,000 Arlington-Washington Lassie, exits a valiant fourth in the Grade I $500,000 Ballerina Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 29.

“She’s doing very well,” Mason said of the Joe Ragsdale-owned earner of $409,400. “She’s only had one race since June and I want to get her to Charles Town early to get used to that tight track. She’ll run in the (Grade III $350,000) Charles Town Oaks.”

The Charles Town Oaks is at the same seven-furlong distance in which she competed in the Ballerina and the Lassie.

Carita, a sharp winner on debut for Mason and partners on Aug. 29, is a West Virginia-bred and will make the second start of her career in the $50,000 Rachel’s Turn Stakes on the Oaks’ undercard. In her first outing, she raced well behind in sixth – nine lengths back – before launching an eye-opening rally to win by a head going five furlongs. The juvenile daughter of Horse Greeley hails from the family of Marquetry, You and Five Star Day. She will be cutting down to 4½ furlongs in the Rachel’s Turn.

“She was just a little green last time like a lot of first-time starters can be,” Mason explained. “She won despite that and she really got down to business last time she worked, so she should be ready for the race.”

Carita worked brilliantly on Friday morning, going a bullet three furlongs in-hand in :34 flat.

WORK TAB

Al and Bill Ulwelling’s stakes-winning turf gelding Pumpkin Rumble, who exits a stylish victory in the $100,000 Mystic Lake Mile at Canterbury Park on July 11 and was briefly under consideration for the Grade I $1,000,000 Arlington Million before a hiccup in training, worked five furlongs for trainer Gary Scherer in 1:02 flat.

Stakes-placed regally bred 6-year-old sprint mare Summer Again worked a bullet five panels in :59 flat for trainer Tony Mitchell and owner-breeder Richard Otto.

Lothenbach Stables’ Nun the Less, who was impressive when taking last month’s $200,000 Mystic Lake Derby at Canterbury Park, returned to the tab for the first time since, working a half-mile in :49 flat for Chris Block.

Multiple stakes-winning 4-year-old gelding I Got It All – off since finishing second in the $50,000 Milwaukee Avenue Handicap at Hawthorne on Apr. 25 – worked six furlongs in a sharp 1:12.80 from the gate for trainer Tom Swearingen, who also co-owns the charge with various partners.

Feel The Thunder Stable et al.’s stakes-placed 4-year-old turf filly Lovely Loyree worked six furlongs in 1:13 flat for trainer Michel Boyce.

Lothenbach Stables’ graded stakes-placed (in only two starts) homebred filly No Fault of Mine tightened the screws toward a return when going a half-mile in :48 flat for trainer Chris Block.

Ike and Dawn Thrash’s highly regarded homebred juvenile filly Wake the Dawn worked a routine half-mile in :48.80 for trainer Mike Stidham.

Oak Rock Racing’s three-time Arlington Sprint winner Saint Leon worked a half-mile in an easy :52.20 for trainer Michele Boyce.

 
Source: Arlington Park