Secret Circle keeps on winning, takes $500,000 Rebel S. (G2)

Secret Circle showed his class for the second straight time at Oaklawn Park with a come-from-behind win in the Grade 2 Rebel S. on March 17. The Bob Baffert trainee started his road to the 2012 Kentucky Derby with a victory in the $250,000 Southwest S. last month.

Sent off the even money favorite in the 1 1/16-mile Rebel, Secret Circle broke alertly and settled nicely in fourth under Rafael Bejarano. His rider seemed to get after him a bit down the backstretch, and Secret Circle responded to move in between horses around the turn. He collared Scatman inside the eighth pole, and a late run from Optimizer posed no threat. The final margin was three-quarters of a length, with a time of 1:44.55 on a fast track.

“I’m glad (Baffert) made the decision to bring him back here. It was the right decision,” said Bejarano. “He was really ready today. The key was getting him to relax. He has lots of talent.”

Assistant trainer Jim Barnes handled the saddling duties for Baffert. “It looks like he will (keep going). Bob will decide all that, but we did what we had to today. He got the mile-sixteenth and showed he could rate a bit. I’ll be getting my room for the Arkansas Derby (G1, April 14) tomorrow.”

Secret Circle, a 3-year-old son of Eddington, has now won five of six starts for Karl Watson, Mike Pegram and Paul Weitman and increased his bankroll to $818,990.