Will's Secret powers to Martha Washington victory

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Will’s Secret spurted home by 5 1/4 lengths over odds-on favorite Coach to win the $200,000 Martha Washington and it’s 10 points toward a Kentucky Oaks berth Saturday at Oaklawn Park.

The race was one of two stakes on the card. Frank’s Rockette ($3.20) won the $150,000 American Beauty.

Will’s Secret ($18) settled just off the pace in the Martha Washington as Sylvia Q set contested fractions of 23.61 seconds for the opening quarter and 47.35 for the half-mile, before turning things over to Joy’s Rocket through six furlongs in 1:12.37. Will’s Secret, meanwhile, advanced four wide coming to the quarter pole, overtook her rivals by midstretch, and went on to cover the mile run on a muddy, sealed track in 1:38.78.

Jon Court was aboard Will’s Secret in the race that ended at the sixteenth pole.

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"The strategy was to not let the speed separate us and keep them within striking distance, just because it is a short stretch, short run to the wire," Court told publicity at Oaklawn. "I was keeping that in mind, and mindful that these horses do have speed that carries. They’ve shown it already and proven that they can win wire to wire, or right there off the pace. If they created too much separation and left too much for her to do, there’s a chance I might not catch that speed. She rallied up to get on by them."

Dallas Stewart trains Will’s Secret, who was coming off a win in a maiden special weight over 1 1/16 miles at Fair Grounds.

Arkansas resident Willis Horton bred and owns Will’s Secret, who is a daughter of his champion Will Take Charge. She has now won 2 of 5 starts and has earned $163,300.

Horton also won the 2015 edition of the Martha Washington with champion Take Charge Brandi. He and Stewart won the Kentucky Oaks with Lemons Forever.

Coach earned 4 points for the Kentucky Oaks with her runner-up finish in the Martha Washington. It was another half-length back in third to Joy’s Rocket, who picked up two points. Sylvia Q, who finished fourth, earned a point for the Kentucky Oaks.

Frank's Rockette wins American Beauty

Frank’s Rockette ($3.20) overtook pacesetter Amy’s Challenge in the stretch to win the American Beauty by 1 1/4 lengths. It was another two lengths back in third to Wildwood’s Beauty.

The race was Frank’s Rockette’s first start since the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. She took on males in that Nov. 7 race at Keeneland and finished 11th to eventual champion Whitmore.

Frank’s Rockette on Saturday sat about a length off Amy’s Challenge, who took the field through an opening quarter in 21.47 seconds and a half-mile in 44.68. The eventual winner moved to the fore in the stretch and covered six furlongs for fillies and mares in 1:10.03.

The sealed track was listed as muddy.

Florent Geroux was aboard the winner for trainer Bill Mott.

Frank Fletcher, a resident of Arkansas, bred and owns Frank’s Rockette. She is a daughter of Into Mischief. The American Beauty was the fifth career stakes win for the filly, who overall has won 7 of 12 starts for earnings of $696,103.