Princess Secret, Jirafales have much to overcome

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Princess Secret and Jirafales, a pair of 3-year-olds with plenty of stakes experience but questionable recent form, drop into the allowance ranks and pose a challenge to handicappers trying to assess the seventh and ninth races on Friday’s 10-race program at Gulfstream Park.

Princess Secret is one of seven 3-year-old fillies entered to go 6 1/2 furlongs for a $47,000 purse in the ninth event. Princess Secret rose to the top of her division here at 2, winning the final two legs of the filly division of the Florida Sire Stakes, the seven-furlong Susan’s Girl and the 1 1/16-mile My Dear Girl. But her career got sidetracked a short while later when she tested positive for an anabolic steroid in out-of-competition testing a week before her scheduled start in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

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Trainer Daniel Pita gave Princess Secret the winter off following that setback, and the daughter of Khozan returned to the races March 28 at Tampa Bay Downs, finishing fifth, beaten more than 10 lengths, going seven furlongs in the Sophomore Fillies Stakes. She has worked only once since that race, breezing four furlongs in 49.60 seconds on April 24 at Palm Meadows.

Those skeptical that Princess Secret can replicate her stakes-winning juvenile form have several alternatives to choose from in the field, topped by last-out winners Foolish Heart and Mon Petit Chou. Foolish Heart wired starter-allowance company going six furlongs March 17 for her third victory in eight career starts.

Mon Petit Chou posted her second win in four career tries when she rallied to a two-length decision over statebred allowance opposition at six furlongs on March 24. She has continued to train forwardly for her return.

Other key contenders include the speedy stakes winner Adios Trippi, who finished 11th, far behind Princess Secret, after an eventful trip in the Sophomore Fillies, multiple winner Dem a Wonder, and Sweet Baby Raelynn.

Jirafales, an impressive debut winner at 2, gets significant class relief after being overmatched competing in all three Kentucky Derby preps held here during the Championship meet. Jirafales finished a distant fifth in the Grade 3 Holy Bull, beat half the field when also fifth in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth, and checked home 10th of 11 as a 101-1 outsider in the Grade 1 Florida Derby.

Jirafales also is being asked for a lot in Friday’s co-feature, taking on considerably more seasoned older horses for the first time while making his turf debut in the 7 1/2-furlong test restricted to Florida-breds. Jirafales is modestly bred for grass at best, being by Social Inclusion out of the unraced Gran Pashita, who has yet to produce a winner over the surface.

Jirafales will face a lineup led by 8-year-old Second Mate, a seven-time winner who exits a fifth-place finish, beaten only three lengths, in Tampa’s Turf Classic for Florida-breds on March 28. Second Mate is winless in nearly two years, but finished second, beaten just a head, in the Sunshine Millions Turf Preview last fall at Gulfstream Park West.

Dominate Themoment, who finished second against similar competition in his last two starts, and Zap Daddy, beaten only two lengths by Dominate Themoment when the pair met two months ago, are among the other leading contenders in a field that also includes Political Riot, Complex System, and Top Bomb.

Nacho Papa, a stablemate of Zap Daddy from the barn of trainer Carlos David, has been entered for the main track only.