Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Smart filly World Secret was locked in on the inside approaching the bell in the $30,000 Westside Auto Financing Westsired Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night when champion reinsman Chris Lewis made a winning move by cleverly easing the Kat Warwick-trained pacer off the pegs and forcing the $3.10 second fancy I Cross My Heart out three wide.
The pace was being set by the $1.95 favourite Relatively Arma, and Lewis was then able to gain cover from Manea in the breeze. Lewis bided his time until he switched World Secret three wide with 250m to travel. World Secret then dashed to the front 130m later and went on to win by a half-length from Relatively Arma.
After a slow lead time of 39.4sec. and ambling opening quarters of 32.7sec. and 30.5sec. the final 400m sections were run in 28.2sec. and 29sec.
“I thought the race with seven runners could be run in single file, and I was hoping that wasn’t going to be,” said Lewis. “It was hard to work out what was going to happen.”
The seven runners settled down in Indian file, with World Secret in fourth position. Manea raced in third place until she moved to the breeze 1050m from home, with I Cross My Heart going forward to gain the ideal trail, one-out and one-back, leaving World Secret hemmed in on the pegs.
“In the home straight racing for the bell I was able to move I Cross My Heart out three wide and we were then in a good position to strike,” said Lewis.
World Secret is by American sire Rock N Roll World and is the first foal out of the Tinted Cloud mare Veiled Secret, who had 49 starts for eight wins, 15 placings and $103,416. Veiled Secret’s dam Sheer Royalty won the WA Oaks in May 2009 and was retired after her 33 starts produced nine wins, seven placings and $248, 904.