Hez Our Secret Sneaks into Latest Poll

November 28, 2012

Top-10 Logo

A victory Saturday night in the Z. Wayne Griffin Directors Stakes (GI) at Los Alamitos earned Hez Our Secret a berth into the Champion of Champions (GI) as well as the No. 9 ranking this week in the AQHARacing.com/ Horseplayernow.com National Top 10 Poll for older horses. The son of First Down Dash was the only newcomer to the national polls this week.

Hez Our Secret underscores the strength of this year’s 3-year-old crop, having run second in the All American Derby (GI) at Ruidoso Downs in September behind Ochoa. The latter ranks No. 2 this week in the poll, trailing only Cold Cash 123.

The 2-year-old poll remained firm at the top this week, with One Dashing Eagle still the unanimous No. 1 choice on the ballots. But a loss by favored A Dream To Remember in Sunday’s Southwest Juvenile Championship (GI) at Zia Park saw the Paul Jones trainee slide from No. 6 to No. 10 and shake up the bottom half of the poll.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS

1.   ONE DASHING EAGLE (100)
2.   PJ CHICK IN BLACK (83)
3.   CARTERS COOKIE (75)
4.   BP CARTELS ALIBI (72)
5.   VALIANT LIL LADY (48)
6.   RONNIE JAMES (32)
7.   EL DUERO (31)
8.   LOTA PYC (25)
9.   SUDDEN THOUGHTS (24)
10. A DREAM TO REMEMBER (21)

Aha Moment (14), Open Me A Corona (12), Secret Courage (7), Dash For Coronas (5), One Handsome Man (4), Heroes Heart (3), Stel My Corona (3), Sassmaster (2), Big Boi (2), Blackberry Czech (1), Freedom Choice (1), PYC Kant Katch Me (1)

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & OLDER

1.   COLD CASH 123 (97)
2.   OCHOA (88)
3.   EL AGUILA REAL (76)
4.   CHIVALRY SR (69)
5.   RYLEES BOY (53)
6.   DENIRO (33)
7.   LLANO TELLER (32)
8.   FLAME N FLASH (27)
9.   HEZ OUR SECRET (15)
10. THE LONG KNIFE (13)

Executive Brass (12), JLS Mr Big Time (10), Charal Kid (6), Priceless Feature (6), Ethics Aside (5), A Toss Up (4), Check My Thoughts (4), Senor Toby (1)

The 10 voters are:

Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)
Martha Claussen (Q-Racing Ace, writer/handicapper)
Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)
Mike Joyce (TVG analyst)
Tom Dawson (Q-Racing Ace, network television producer)
Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)
Jerry Shottenkirk (Q-Racing Ace, handicapper/oddsmaker)
Jeremy Plonk (Night School co-founder/host)
Terry Turrell (Horseplayernow.com handicapper)
Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)