Oaklawn Park notes: Cyber Secret primed for return to Hot Springs

Trainer Lynn Whiting will waste little time in getting some immediate action for his main client, Charles Cella, at the upcoming meet at Oaklawn Park.

Whiting, who makes his permanent home in Louisville, Ky., was busy this weekend transitioning his stable from Churchill Downs to his longtime winter base at Oaklawn, where a 57-day meet starts Jan. 10.

Cyber Secret, a record-setting winner of the Prairie Bayou Stakes last weekend at Turfway Park in northern Kentucky, will carry the Cella red and blue in the Jan. 11 Fifth Season, the second of two $100,000 stakes on opening weekend at the Hot Springs, Ark., track. On opening day, Whiting will run Avicii in the $100,000 Dixie Belle.

“It’s a home game for Mr. Cella,” said Whiting, referring to Oaklawn’s iconic 77-year-old owner. “He loves the action.”

Cyber Secret earned a 102 Beyer Speed Figure in running the fastest 1 1/16 miles (1:42.26) at Turfway since its Polytrack surface was installed more than eight years ago. The Prairie Bayou was designed as a prep for what Whiting and Cella are hoping will be another sensational winter at Oaklawn, where last year Cyber Secret tore through a 4-for-4 blitz that culminated with a victory in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap, in which he earned a career-high 109 Beyer.

“We gave him quite a bit of time off during the warm summer months knowing we wanted him ready for Oaklawn, where he’s shown he loves the racetrack,” Whiting said.

In the Prairie Bayou, Cyber Secret prevailed by 4 1/2 lengths despite losing his left front shoe, although “I don’t think it bothered him a whole lot,” Whiting said. “As well as he performed, I can’t imagine it was much of a hindrance.”

Cyber Secret, by Broken Vow, will be 5 in the upcoming year. He has won 7 of 17 starts and earned $594,593.

Borel set to return

Hall of Fame jockey Calvin Borel is fully healed from injuries suffered in an Oct. 23 spill at Keeneland and will be back in the saddle on opening weekend at Oaklawn, agent Jerry Hissam said early Friday from Hot Springs.

“He’s on his way here from Florida as we speak,” said Hissam. “All his therapy is finished and he’s been cleared by the doctors. We’re both anxious to get back to work.”

Hissam experienced serious health issues last year but said he is “feeling 100 percent” and that he is looking forward to Oaklawn. He said he has calls for Borel in both the Dixie Belle and Fifth Season.