Potential star filly returns

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Secondary School makes her return to the races in the Hastings feature Sunday, a $50,000 optional claimer for fillies and mares who have not won two races other than maiden or claiming. The six-furlong dash also has attracted the multiple stakes winner Lady's Jewel, along with four others.

Secondary School looked like something special when she debuted last April. She broke slowly but made an eye-catching move, going from last to first to win by a widening 4 1/2 lengths. It appeared she would be one of the leaders of the 3-year-old filly division when she came right back to beat Elana D'amour in an open allowance race May 4. While Elana D'amour went on to become the horse of the year in British Columbia, Secondary School was turned out for the remainder of the year.

"She hurt her ankle, so that was it for her," said her trainer, David Forster. "So far so good this year, and I'm certainly happy with the way she's been training."

Forster thinks that Secondary School has the potential to be one of the top fillies or mares here but isn't counting on anything.

"If she stays sound she should be a stakes horse, but we'll just have to see how she holds up," he said. Frank Fuentes will ride Secondary School on Sunday.

Secondary School won both of her races by coming from off the pace and she should have plenty of speed to chase here. Lady's Jewel has plenty of early lick and figures to be winging it from the rail. Secret Bullet has been very sharp this spring, and in all five of her wins she's been either on or near the lead.