HOT SPRINGS - Secret Circle is the 4-5 program favorite for the $300,000 Grade III Count Fleet Sprint Handicap for older horses today at Oaklawn Park.

But Secret Circle’s odds figure to be much lower at post time because his credentials tower over five scheduled rivals in the 6-furlong race.

Probable post time for the Count Fleet, the ninth of 10 races, is 5:10 p.m.

Secret Circle, who is trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, is the reigning Breeders’ Cup sprint champion, winning 7 of 10 overall and bankrolling $1,918,790 in his career. A five-time stakes winner, Secret Circle also won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint in 2011.

“When Mr. Baffert decided not to go to Dubai, this was a very, very logical spot and the right timing for his horse,” Oaklawn racing secretary Pat Pope said. “Very pleased that he decided to send the horse here.”

Pope was referring to the $2 million Golden Shaheen Sprint on March 29 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Secret Circle, a 5-year-old son of Eddington, was flown to Arkansas from his Southern California base and arrived around 3 p.m. Wednesday at Oaklawn.

It’s a homecoming of sorts since Secret Circle shipped in to win a division of Oaklawn’s $250,000 Grade III Southwest Stakes and the $500,000 Grade II Rebel Stakes in 2012.

Secret Circle then finished a distant second behind stablemate Bodemeister in the $1 million Grade I Arkansas Derby.

Martin Garcia is scheduled to ride Secret Circle, who is scheduled to break from the rail today under top weight of 123 pounds.

Secret Circle is coming off a narrow loss in his 2014 debut, the $200,000 Grade II Palos Verdes Stakes on Feb. 2 at Santa Anita. The Palos Verdes is Secret Circle’s only loss in six career sprint races.

Secret Circle races for the familiar partnership of Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, who also won the Rebel in 2010 with champion Lookin At Lucky and this year with Hoppertunity (both trained by Baffert).

Baffert and Pegram teamed to win the 1997 Count Fleet with High Stakes Player, one of the trainer’s first major victories at Oaklawn.

Also entered in the Count Fleet are Apprehender, Heitai, Alsvid, Lemon Drop Dream and Picko’s Pride.

Picko’s Pride ran second in last year’s Count Fleet. Heitai has recorded four consecutive stakes victories in Louisiana.

Sports, Pages 20 on 04/10/2014