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Leah's Secret holds them off in Chilukki Ranging up three-wide at the top of the stretch with seemingly a ton of horse, jockey Rene Douglas looked back four times before unleashing his mount, WinStar Farm's LEAH'S SECRET (Tiger Ridge), in Sunday's $170,400 Chilukki S. (G2) at Churchill Downs. That early jump to the lead proved decisive as the five-year-old gamely held off the late rally of 21-1 outsider Unforgotten (Northern Afleet) to post a half-length victory in a time of 1:35 3/5 for a mile over the fast track. The 3-1 second choice in a field of 10 fillies and mares, Leah's Secret returned $8.60, $4.80 and $3.80. Leah's Secret endured a three-wide trip most of the way, settling in fifth as Initforthekandy (Kandaly) rattled off an opening quarter in :23 1/5. The winner moved up to third soon after, while the leader dueled with Super Freaky (Smart Strike) through additional fractions of :46 2/5 and 1:10 3/5. Super Freaky dropped back in between rivals at the top of the stretch while Initforthekandy tried to hang tough on the rail, but was no match for Leah's Secret, who drew off and reached the wire before being seriously threatened by Unforgotten. Unforgotten, who trailed early and was still ninth turning for home, ran strongly in defeat and was three parts of a length ahead of the 6-1 Swift Temper (Giant's Causeway) at the finish. The former returned $16.20 and $9 while capping the $129.40 exacta. Swift Temper had 1 1/2 lengths on 12-1 Initforthekandy, returning $5.40 and finishing the $994.40 trifecta. The 10-4-5-1 superfecta brought back $10,562.60. Next under the line were 2-1 favorite Copper State (Jump Start), Tiz to Dream (Tiznow), Amazing Speed (Langfuhr), Super Freaky, Marquee Delivery (Marquetry) and Striking Tomisue (Smart Strike). Baroness Thatcher (Johannesburg) was withdrawn. Despite a solid 6-3-1-1 record over the dirt at Churchill, the Todd Pletcher-trained Leah's Secret has been better known for her exploits on Polytrack. Her two prior graded victories were both over that surface, in the 2006 Raven Run S. (G2) at Keeneland and the Chicago H. (G3) at Arlington Park earlier this year. Her other stakes wins, the Lazer Show H. and Anne Arundel S. in 2006, were both on dirt, and she also owns runner-up finishes in the Louisville S. (G2) Allaire duPont Distaff S. (G2) and Arlington Matron H. (G3). Her line now reads 24-7-4-2, $775,805. Bred in Florida by Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds, Leah's Secret is the first foal from the winning Lady Cruella (Capote), who is also the dam of a yearling colt by Roar of the Tiger and a weanling colt by Bluegrass Cat. The winner's third dam, the multiple stakes-winning Great Lady M. (Icecapade), is responsible for Horse of the Year and $3 million earner Lady's Secret (Secretariat). Purchased for $50,000 as a yearling at the 2004 OBS August sale, Leah's Secret sold for $525,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November sale last fall.
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