HOT SPRINGS -- Will's Secret is a secret no more.
With her three-quarter length victory over second-place long shot Pauline's Pearl in the Grade III, $300,000 Honeybee Stakes for 3-year-old fillies before an estimated crowd of 4,000 at Oaklawn on Saturday, Will's Secret almost certainly has qualified for the Kentucky Oaks.
She won the 1 1/16-mile race in 1:44.61.
The Honeybee is the second of three Kentucky Oaks qualifying races at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort. Will's Secret, a daughter of Will Take Charge ridden by Jon Court and trained by Dallas Stewart, also won the first, the 1-mile $200,000 Martha Washington Stakes on Jan. 30. That win secured 10 of the race's 17 Oaks points. She earned 50 of the 85 available from the Honeybee and now leads the Oaks standings.
Court said he had wondered how differently the fast track would play for Will's Secret, who won the Martha Washington on mud.
"She took to this surface just like she's taken to every surface so far, like she owned it," Court said. "The matter was that she just went ahead and dominated the pace. Nobody was really contesting us, so we were able to dictate a comfortable pace, and she had plenty left down the stretch."
Sun Path finished third, three-quarters of a length behind 18-1 Pauline's Pearl. Oliviaofthedesert was fourth, 7 1/4 lengths behind the winner.
Pauline's Pearl, ridden by Francisco Arrieta, closed late to pass Sun Path in the stretch.
"We were going kind of at a slow pace," Arrieta said. "I think if I could have gotten better position or I could have found room a little earlier, I think I could have won. She's a pretty nice filly."
Will's Secret, the 2-1 favorite, was half a length off Tabor Hall's lead through a comfortable opening quarter-mile in 24.25, but had a head in front through the half in 49.70.
"I just thought, let her break away from there and get around that first turn," Stewart said. "I think that's important at Oaklawn. You have to get around that first turn and be in good shape. Looks like we got that down, and she just coasted home from there."
Sun Path, the 5-2 third choice ridden by Joe Talamo and trained by Brad Cox, accelerated through the final turn to move into third, a head behind Tabor Hall and within 3/4 lengths of Will's Secret through three-quarters in 1:14.49.
"I really thought I had the winner measured there," Talamo said. "I felt for sure I was the winner there, but hat's off to [Will's Secret]. She ran a tremendous race."
Court said he was confident Will's Secret would respond to the challenge, which she did as she ran the final 330 yards of the homestretch with seeming ease.
"She's proven to me that she will look another horse in the eye and give it a competitive challenge," Court said. "She pretty much had it on her own out there. There was some horses closing on us, but she stayed to the task to the wire."
Stewart said he appreciated Court's ride and the quality of his filly.
"That was a great ride," Stewart said. "She loves that track. She showed a little more versatility that she could be on the lead and finish it off. That's really good to have in a racehorse."
Leading up to the race, jockeys, Court and Talamo included, spoke of its wide-open nature, one that essentially precluded the chance for a compelling favorite or momentous upset regardless of which filly won.
"The top three finishers are definitely really nice fillies," Talamo said. "All of them, I think, have pretty bright futures."
Stewart said it always helps when Court is his rider.
"I've been around Jon Court a lot," Stewart said. "In fact, I was his valet at Louisiana Downs. That's how close we are.
"He's always been a great rider and a great competitor. He loves the game, and he loves his job, and he always steps up his game for the Hortons, and that's a plus for me."
Stewart said he thinks he knows what's next for Will's Secret.
"We'll probably come to the Fantasy with this one, but I don't know," Stewart said. "We'll just have to wait and see."
Oaklawn's Grade III, $600,000 Fantasy Stakes is scheduled for April 3.