Secret Blarney steps up to stakes

Secret Blarney will be looking for his fourth consecutive win Saturday night when he makes his stakes debut in the $65,000 John Wayne at Prairie Meadows.

The six-furlong race is for 3-year-olds and up bred in Iowa. A field of 10 is signed on, including stakes winners Basic Chance, Minecraft Maniac, Mollies Rocket, Sir Wally Wally, and Topper T.

Secret Blarney began his streak in a $5,000 conditioned claiming race April 1 at Sam Houston. He proceeded to win a first-level allowance for Iowabreds on May 28 at Prairie Meadows before romping by

9 1/2 lengths in a $5,000 starter allowance at the track June 5. For his effort last out, Secret Blarney earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 78.

“We’re giving him a shot in the stakes,” said Scott Young, who trains Secret Blarney for Caden Dean Arthur. “He’s done absolutely nothing wrong. He’s getting better. If there was ever a time to give a horse a shot in stakes company, it’s now. He’s doing great.”

Secret Blarney will break from post 5 under regular rider Kylee Jordan. The horse rallied from next to last when he won May 28, but led throughout for his win June 5.

“We’ll let him set himself,” Young said. “He kind of tells us how he likes to run.”

Secret Blarney, a 5-yearold by Secret Circle, has been a popular claim throughout his career. He’s been with seven different trainers – but only started for six of them as Arthur bought Secret Blarney back privately after the horse was claimed out of the April 1 race at Sam Houston.

“The family loves the horse,” Young said. “He’s just a delight to be around.

“He’s just a big pet. He’s a huge puppy dog. He has a great personality and that was one reason the family wanted to buy him back. Everyone who has ever had him always loved him being in the barn.”

Basic Chance is the defending winner in the John Wayne. In more recent times, he won a Prairie Meadows allowance May 15. Minecraft Maniac ran third in last year’s John Wayne.

Smart N Intuitive and Ship Boss finished one-two in a local allowance May 22, separated by a head. The start was the first since September for Ship Boss. The horses both earned Beyers of 85, which is the best last-race number in the John Wayne.