Sunday, August 08, 2010
Chicks Gotta Secret, a New Mexico-bred stallion by Chicks A Blazin, was a prompt 2-1 favorite in the Grade 3, $30,000 Mr Jet Moore Handicap at Ruidoso Downs on Sunday.
Saddled by James J. Gonzales II and ridden by Jacky Martin for owners Beatrice Alaniz and Naomi Salas, Chicks Gotta Secret went 400 yards in :19.495 en route to his first stakes victory. The clocking marked the second-fastest winning time in the 36-year history of the stakes, missing by 16/100ths the stakes record of :19.32 set last year by champion Noconi.
Chicks Gotta Secret was bred by Mike Abraham, and the stallion became the 19th stakes winner from 12 crops sired by Chicks A Blazin, a winning 17-year-old stallion by Chicks Beduino who ran second in Run Em Up’s 1995 West Texas Sun Country Futurity (G1) at Sunland Park. Chicks A Blazin has sired the earners of more than $9.9 million from 397 starters, including Blazin N Shakin. He stands for a $2,000 fee at Double LL Farm at Bosque, New Mexico.
Chicks Gotta Secret’s dam, the 20-year-old Raise A Secrets mare Making Secrets, has produced eight winners from 11 starters. One of the mare’s runners, the First Down Express mare Mrs Elliott, won the 2000 Solano Derby on the Northern California fair circuit, and another, the Magical Mile (TB) gelding Mile Maker, ran third in the ’99 Gold Rush 870 Derby (G3) at Los Alamitos.
Chicks Gotta Secret traces back to his third dam, 2000 champion broodmare Seperate Ways. A 1978 foal, Seperate Ways foaled 14 winners from 18 starters, including champions Separatist and Way Maker, and Grade 1 winner Make It Anywhere.
Campaigned exclusively in New Mexico, Chicks Gotta Secret has won four of 18 races, and the $18,000 winner’s share of the Mr Jet Moore purse pushed his bankroll to $82,368. The stallion was making his first start since July 3, when he ran third, 1 ¾ lengths behind winner Shy Ann Jess, in the 350-yard, $30,000 Higheasterjet Handicap (G3) at Ruidoso.
Stare Ya Down ran second, one length behind Chicks Gotta Secret, and was followed by Anywhere Bully, Double Out, Double Chiseled, Honor Me Good, and Pepper Perry.
A lightly raced 3-year-old colt by Fit To Fly, Stare Ya Down earned $6,600 to boost her earnings to $14,419 for owner Karim W. Fournier. Stare Ya Down broke his maiden for a $10,000 tag in his career debut at Sunland Park on March 9.
Anywhere Bully banked $3,000 for his owner, Raymond Valerio of Belen, New Mexico, who also trains the 4-year-old Make It Anywhere gelding. Anywhere Bully has earned $85,661 from 23 outs, and his four wins include last year’s 350-yard, $35,000 Manuel Lujan Handicap (G3) at The Downs at Albuquerque.