Paddy's Secret surprises in Princess of Palms Stakes

PHOENIX – The last time Paddy’s Secret raced on the Turf Paradise main track was Jan. 8, and she won, but returning here Saturday after a couple of so-so route attempts at Golden Gate in the spring and five subsequent months off saw her ignored in the wagering for the $30,000 Princess of Palms Stakes.

Well, returning to this track and to sprinting did the trick as the 4-year-old daughter of Paddy O’Prado snapped back to life, posting a 22-1 upset in Saturday’s featured race.

Paddy’s Secret ($46.20) sat midpack early under Daniel Vergara in the six-furlong event for fillies and mares as Gorgeous Ginny, Kast Intention, and B C Z Middleton dueled up front. Paddy's Secret crept closer on the far turn while staying wide and in the clear, came with a smart run into the lane, and finished strongly to roll past the leaders and on to a 2 3/4-length victory.

B C Z Middleton, the defending Princess of Palms winner who was coming off a game win at Emerald Downs on Aug. 12, dueled, opened up into the lane, and gamely held second. Lake Time, the 6-5 favorite off a fourth in Del Mar’s CERF Stakes Sept. 3, lagged back and ran on decently while wide for third. Gorgeous Ginny, a winner of three stakes here last winter who was making her her first start since a second in a stakes at Prairie Meadows on April 26, dueled while holding the rail but tired in the lane, finishing fourth in the field of nine.

Paddy’s Secret, trained by Frank Lucarelli for Mike Bolduc, ran the distance in 1:09.50 and notched her fifth victory from 15 starts. The winner’s share of $17,856 boosted her career earnings to $79,421.