Secret Thorn's best yet to come

CYPRESS, Calif. – Secret Thorn won her debut in a maiden race for California-bred fillies and mares at Del Mar on Aug. 11. Secret Thorn had worked well in the preceding weeks, was sent off favored, and led throughout to win by 1 1/4 lengths.

In time, trainer Dan Blacker is confident that Secret Thorn will continue to progress, but he has tempered his expectations for her first start against winners, which comes Thursday in an optional claimer for California-bred fillies and mares at six furlongs at Los Alamitos.

“The time of her maiden race was a little slow,” Blacker said of Secret Thorn’s time of 1:04.63 for 5 1/2 furlongs. “I don’t think she’s a lock in there by any means. It’s not as tough as the Cal-bred allowances at Del Mar, but it’s not a walkover. If she’s as good as I hope, I think she can move up.”

The optional claimer is race 6 on an eight-race program. Secret Thorn is part of a field of five. Late ‘n Left and Zuzu’s Petals each ran in a $16,000 claiming race at Del Mar last out. Air of Royalty and Bako Sweets are entered to be claimed for $20,000 on Thursday.

KEY CONTENDERS

Secret Thorn, by Thorn Song

Beyer: 60

◗ Secret Thorn, 3, was in training at 2 but developed “a minor issue” that led to her being sent to owner John Harris’s farm in Coalinga, Calif., for a rest last winter, Blacker said.

“She always showed a lot of talent in the morning,” he said. “The guys at Harris Farms do such a good job with them, and she came in to me in really good nick in June. When we got her up to five-eighths, she showed a lot of promise.”

◗ Secret Thorn set a quick pace in her win, running the opening quarter-mile in 21.83 seconds. On Thursday, Secret Thorn could face an early threat from Zuzu’s Petals, who was second in a $16,000 claimer at Del Mar on Sept. 1.

Late ‘n Left, by Lucky Pulpit

Last 3 Beyers: 76-53-66

◗ Late ‘n Left was claimed for $16,000 from a sprint for non-winners of two races on Aug. 21 by trainer Sean McCarthy. Previously trained by Mike Puype, Late ‘n Left won a $50,000 claiming race for California-bred maidens at Santa Anita on May 7 in her fourth start.

◗ Late ‘n Left has consistently raced near the front, and jockey Stewart Elliott figures to have her there again from the inside post.

Air of Royalty, by Anziyan Royalty

Last 3 Beyers: 75-68-83

◗ Air of Royalty is a 6-year-old mare with two wins from eight starts. She was seventh in an optional claimer at five furlongs on turf at Del Mar on Aug. 25, her first start since January 2015. Air of Royalty set the pace to the final furlong before losing by 2 1/2 lengths.

◗ Thursday’s race will be Air of Royalty’s first start for a claiming price and her debut at Los Alamitos.