Raymundo’s Secret returns with a flourish

As a 3-year-old last year, Raymundo’s Secret scored three sharp victories in five races, missing out only in two stakes, and compiled earnings of $63,571. However, after her final race on Oct. 26, in which she finished fifth in the Gr. III Autumn Miss Stakes at Santa Anita, she was sent to the sidelines, finally coming back to the races yesterday at Del Mar, a vacation of nearly 10 months.

Raymundo’s Secret returned in a $59,500 allowance optional claimer at one mile on the grass at odds of 4/5, and it took all the skills of veteran Flavien Prat to gain the daughter of Treasure Beach her fourth victory. Prat gunned her out of the gate from the No. 3 post into second place on the rail, and eased her back to third down the backstretch. Coming to the turn, still on the rail, the 4-year-old filly was completely boxed in with two rivals in front of her and two just to her outside.

As they straightened out for home, Prat bulled his way out of the box, swinging his filly off the inside and knocking the runner to her right out of the way. Raymundo’s Secret then dug in gamely and ran down the leaders, making up two lengths in the final 100 yards and getting up to win by a neck. She was clocked in 1:35.37 and earned a check for $35,400, boosting her total to $98,971.

Barring injury, the rest of 2020 should prove very lucrative for the talented filly bred by Joe and Helen Barbazon. Ed Seltzer and Beverly Anderson.