Will's Secret jumps back in deep end of pool for Alabama

Trainer Dallas Stewart, never bashful to take a shot in a big race, will send out Will’s Secret against Malathaat and Maracuja in Saturday’s Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama Stakes at Saratoga.

Will’s Secret’s solid 3-year-old form went off kilter in last month’s Grade 3 Indiana Oaks where she finished a well-beaten sixth. Stewart believes there was a legitimate excuse for her poor performance.

“It rained before the race and all the water ran down to the inside and she had the one hole and she struggled,” Stewart said. “She was on the fence the whole way. She came back covered in mud. All the other horses that were running on the outside looked like they had been running on a fast track. She was worn out after the race.”

Prior to the Indiana Oaks, Will’s Secret won two stakes at Oaklawn Park and was third in the Ashland and third in the Kentucky Oaks, both races won by Malathaat.

“She competed nicely with the really good fillies on Oaks Day, so let’s try them again,” Stewart said. “She was finishing good going a mile and an eighth that day at Churchill.”

Will’s Secret was one of seven 3-year-old fillies expected to be entered Wednesday for Saturday’s Alabama. Malathaat will likely be favored again, while Maracuja, who upset in the Coaching Club American Oaks, will be second choice.

Others expected include Army Wife, Clairiere, Crazy Beautiful, and Played Hard.

On Monday, Clairiere worked a half-mile in 50.15 seconds over the Oklahoma training track.

◗ Code of Honor, the 2019 Travers winner, completed his preparations for Saturday’s Grade 3, $250,000 Iselin Stakes at Monmouth Park by working a half-mile in 49.49 seconds Monday morning over the Oklahoma training track. The Iselin will be Code of Honor’s first start since he finished fifth in the Pegasus at Gulfstream in January.