Secret Money came through a narrow opening with a furlong to run to win Saturday’s $1 million Big Ass Fans Music City S. (G3) at Kentucky Downs.
The victory was the third in six lifetime starts, and first stakes win, for the 3-year-old Good Samaritan filly. In her prior start, the bay sophomore was third in the Lake George S. (G3) at Saratoga on July 21.
Saturday’s 6 ½-furlong race drew a field of 12, and Secret Money worked herself into a good spot just a few lengths from the front around the sweeping downhill bend. She moved closer to the lead in upper stretch, and after waiting behind horses, shot between foes to take command with a sixteenth to run. She went on to win by one length in 1:15.14 on the firm turf.
“She’s been very good all year,” said winning trainer Brendan Walsh. “She hasn’t put a foot wrong really. She had a horrible trip at Woodbine a couple of starts back. Came back, we decided we’d try to stretch her out, see if she’d get the mile at Saratoga. She ran really well, didn’t quite get home, but ran a very respectable third in very good company. We always had this race in the back of our mind all year, the 6 1/2 [furlongs] we felt would hit her right between the eyes. Thankfully it did.”
Secret Money is owned by Richard Nicolai’s Fortune Farm LLC, Robert Hahn and Matthew Hand. Her earnings stand at $740,811.
Secret Money was bred by WinStar Farm. Her dam Awesome Humor won four graded stakes, including the Spinaway S. (G1), and has produced the three stakes winners.
Good Samaritan has accounted for three stakes winners, and an additional four stakes horses, in 2023. With over $2.5 million in progeny earnings to date this year, Good Samaritan ranks in the top 10 on the Second-Crop sire list.
