One turn best for 'Secret'

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Though Cyber Secret won a stakes race around two turns earlier this winter, her connections believe she is more effective around one turn. Saturday, they were proven correct as Cyber Secret ran her best race to date, winning the Grade 3, $108,300 Cicada Stakes by 4 1/2 lengths before a crowd of 6,003 at Aqueduct.

Roar Emotion, the 4-5 favorite, finished second, 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Boxer Girl. Ladyecho, Southern Smoke, and Leniently completed the order of finish.

Cyber Secret, a daughter of Cyberspace, won the Busanda Stakes at a mile and 70 yards in gate to wire fashion over the inner track Jan. 26. She then finished fourth in the Busher Stakes at 1 1/16 miles March 1. The Cicada was run at seven furlongs.

"We've always wanted to sprint her," said trainer Richard Dutrow. "We've been forced into running her two turns this winter. A couple of times we had to scratch her when the track came up off, but we always wanted to keep her at around this distance. Now we get to do it."

Under Shaun Bridgmohan, Cyber Secret settled into second down the backstretch while Leniently set fractions of 22.06 seconds and 44.80 under Javier Castellano. Cyber Secret advanced steadily around the turn, drew on even terms approaching the quarter pole, and drew clear down the lane. Cyber Secret covered seven furlongs in 1:22.55 over a fast track and returned $11.

"When I asked her at the top of the stretch, and she switched leads, she really took off and finished up big," Bridgmohan said.

Owner Sandy Goldfarb said Cyber Secret might return in the Grade 3, $100,000 Comely Stakes at one mile here April 18.

Roar Emotion, unraced since winning the Grade 2 Demoiselle Nov. 30, broke a step slow from the rail, made a three-wide bid approaching the stretch, and finished well under Richard Migliore.

"Second best today," Migliore said. "The winner really ran big. The track was certainly favoring horses that showed a little more speed, like that filly did. But, my filly ran great; inside post going seven-eighths, she took dirt in her face, and came running. I thought it was a real positive race and she should move forward."