Lady's Secret (USA)
April 8, 1982 – March 4, 2003
Secretariat (USA) x Great Lady M. (USA), by Icecapade (USA)
Family 22-d
April 8, 1982 – March 4, 2003
Secretariat (USA) x Great Lady M. (USA), by Icecapade (USA)
Family 22-d
Lady's Secret was living proof that bigger isn't always better. During her championship season, the little gray filly started 15 times--all in graded stakes races--and won 10, including eight Grade I races, while never running out of the money. She retired as the top Oklahoma-bred in history with 10 Grade I victories on her record. Unfortunately, she proved a disappointing broodmare.
Race record
45 starts, 25 wins, 9 seconds, 3 thirds, US$3,021,325
1984:
1985:
1986:
1987:
Honors
Assessments
Lady's Secret was rated #76 among the top 100 American racehorses of the 20th century by a panel of experts assembled by The Blood-Horse (Thoroughbred Champions, Eclipse Press, 7th printing, 2005). She was 14th among the 26 fillies and mares on the list.
Highweighted at 129 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older females of 1986, 7 pounds above second-rated Dontstop the Music.
Rated at 117 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older females of 1987, 4 pounds below champion North Sider.
As an individual
Lady's Secret stood 15.1 hands. She was feminine but extraordinarily sound and tough. Powerful and energetic for all her small size, she usually preferred to control her races from the front end and had a tough attitude in competition. Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day, who rode her often, said that she was “very headstrong but a fun ride.” She was absolutely genuine as a racehorse and did not need the whip to give her best. She was finally retired after seeming to lose interest in racing as a 5-year-old.
As a producer
Lady's Secret produced 12 named foals, of which 10 were starters and five were winners. Her daughter Good Looks (by Mr. Prospector) is the dam of Japanese stakes winner Kyowa Happiness (by Oath), while another daughter, Sleepinginseattle (by Seattle Slew) is the dam of Japanese Group II winner Sound Barrier (by Agnes Digital).
Connections
Lady's Secret was bred in Oklahoma by Robert H. Spreen. She was owned by Eugene Klein, who purchased Lady's Secret privately for US$200,000 as a yearling. She was trained by D. Wayne Lukas, who had initially purchased the filly from Spreen for himself. After failing to meet her reserves at the 1986 and 1987 Fasig-Tipton November breeding stock sales, she was sold in foal to Alydar to Issam Fares' Fares Farm for US$3.8 million at the 1988 Keeneland November sale. She was resold in foal to Seattle Slew to John and Kim Glenney for US$750,000 at the 1998 Keeneland November sale. She died from complications of foaling a General Meeting colt while at Valley Creek Farm in California.
Pedigree notes
Lady's Secret is inbred 3x5 to Nasrullah and 4x4 to Nasrullah's sire Nearco. She is a half sister to stakes winner Missy Slew (by Seattle Slew), dam of stakes winner Vow (by Rahy). Two other half sisters to Lady's Secret, Great Lady Sharon (by Alydar) and Great Christine (by Danzig), have also produced stakes winners, and Great Lady Sharon is the third dam of 2018 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (USA-I) winner Shamrock Rose. In addition, Lady's Secret's half sister Mary's Secret (by Mr. Prospector) is the third dam of Grade III winner Nicodemus.
The dam of Lady's Secret, Great Lady M., is a multiple stakes winner and is a half sister to Flip's Little Girl (by Flip Sal), whose four stakes winners include 1991 Ashland Stakes (USA-I) winner Do It With Style (by Pancho Villa). The second dam of Lady's Secret, Sovereign Lady (by Young Emperor), is a half sister to stakes winners Favorite Beau (by Beau Brummel), Bridewell (by Roberto) and Queen of Cornwall (by Cornish Prince).
Books and media
Fun facts
Race record
45 starts, 25 wins, 9 seconds, 3 thirds, US$3,021,325
1984:
- Won Moccasin Stakes (USA, 6FD, Hollywood)
- Won Wavy Waves Stakes (USA-R, 6FD, Hollywood)
- 3rd Anoakia Stakes (USA-III, 7FD, Santa Anita)
1985:
- Won Maskette Stakes (USA-I, 8FD, Belmont)
- Won Ruffian Handicap (USA-I, 9FD, Belmont)
- Won Test Stakes (USA-II, 7FD, Saratoga)
- Won Ballerina Stakes (USA-II, 7FD, Saratoga)
- Won Hail Hilarious Stakes (USA, 6FD, Bay Meadows)
- Won Prima Donna Stakes (USA, 6FD, Oaklawn)
- Won Bowl of Flowers Stakes (USA, 6FD, Belmont)
- Won Regret Handicap (USA, 6FD, Monmouth)
- Won The Rose Stakes (USA, 6FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Breeders' Cup Distaff (USA-I, 10FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Prioress Stakes (USA-III, 6FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Determine Stakes (USA, 6FD, Bay Meadows)
- 2nd Vallejo Stakes (USA, 6FD, Golden Gate)
1986:
- Won Whitney Handicap (USA-I, 9FD, Saratoga)
- Won Maskette Stakes (USA-I, 8FD, Belmont)
- Won Ruffian Handicap (USA-I, 9FD, Belmont)
- Won Beldame Stakes (USA-I, 10FD, Belmont)
- Won Breeders' Cup Distaff (USA-I, 10FD, Santa Anita)
- Won La Canada Stakes (USA-I, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Santa Margarita Handicap (USA-I, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Shuvee Handicap (USA-I, 8.5FD, Belmont)
- Won Molly Pitcher Handicap (USA-II, 8.5FD, Monmouth)
- Won El Encino Stakes (USA-III, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Apple Blossom Handicap (USA-I, 8.5FD, Oaklawn)
- 2nd Metropolitan Handicap (USA-I, 8FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Hempstead Handicap (USA-I, 9FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Woodward Handicap (USA-I, 9FD, Belmont)
- 2nd La Brea Stakes (USA-III, 7FD, Saratoga
- 3rd Iselin Handicap (USA-I, 9FD, Monmouth)
1987:
- 2nd Molly Pitcher Handicap (USA-II, 8.5FD, Monmouth)
Honors
- National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 1992)
- Saratoga Hoofprints Walk of Fame (inducted as part of the inaugural class in 2013)
- Arcadia Historical Society's Racing Walk of Champions (inducted as part of the inaugural class in 2014)
- Monmouth Park Hall of Champions
- Eclipse Award, American Horse of the Year (1986)
- Eclipse Award, American champion older female (1986)
Assessments
Lady's Secret was rated #76 among the top 100 American racehorses of the 20th century by a panel of experts assembled by The Blood-Horse (Thoroughbred Champions, Eclipse Press, 7th printing, 2005). She was 14th among the 26 fillies and mares on the list.
Highweighted at 129 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older females of 1986, 7 pounds above second-rated Dontstop the Music.
Rated at 117 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older females of 1987, 4 pounds below champion North Sider.
As an individual
Lady's Secret stood 15.1 hands. She was feminine but extraordinarily sound and tough. Powerful and energetic for all her small size, she usually preferred to control her races from the front end and had a tough attitude in competition. Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day, who rode her often, said that she was “very headstrong but a fun ride.” She was absolutely genuine as a racehorse and did not need the whip to give her best. She was finally retired after seeming to lose interest in racing as a 5-year-old.
As a producer
Lady's Secret produced 12 named foals, of which 10 were starters and five were winners. Her daughter Good Looks (by Mr. Prospector) is the dam of Japanese stakes winner Kyowa Happiness (by Oath), while another daughter, Sleepinginseattle (by Seattle Slew) is the dam of Japanese Group II winner Sound Barrier (by Agnes Digital).
Connections
Lady's Secret was bred in Oklahoma by Robert H. Spreen. She was owned by Eugene Klein, who purchased Lady's Secret privately for US$200,000 as a yearling. She was trained by D. Wayne Lukas, who had initially purchased the filly from Spreen for himself. After failing to meet her reserves at the 1986 and 1987 Fasig-Tipton November breeding stock sales, she was sold in foal to Alydar to Issam Fares' Fares Farm for US$3.8 million at the 1988 Keeneland November sale. She was resold in foal to Seattle Slew to John and Kim Glenney for US$750,000 at the 1998 Keeneland November sale. She died from complications of foaling a General Meeting colt while at Valley Creek Farm in California.
Pedigree notes
Lady's Secret is inbred 3x5 to Nasrullah and 4x4 to Nasrullah's sire Nearco. She is a half sister to stakes winner Missy Slew (by Seattle Slew), dam of stakes winner Vow (by Rahy). Two other half sisters to Lady's Secret, Great Lady Sharon (by Alydar) and Great Christine (by Danzig), have also produced stakes winners, and Great Lady Sharon is the third dam of 2018 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (USA-I) winner Shamrock Rose. In addition, Lady's Secret's half sister Mary's Secret (by Mr. Prospector) is the third dam of Grade III winner Nicodemus.
The dam of Lady's Secret, Great Lady M., is a multiple stakes winner and is a half sister to Flip's Little Girl (by Flip Sal), whose four stakes winners include 1991 Ashland Stakes (USA-I) winner Do It With Style (by Pancho Villa). The second dam of Lady's Secret, Sovereign Lady (by Young Emperor), is a half sister to stakes winners Favorite Beau (by Beau Brummel), Bridewell (by Roberto) and Queen of Cornwall (by Cornish Prince).
Books and media
- “Lady's Secret” is the ninth chapter in Women of the Year: Ten Fillies Who Achieved Horse Racing's Highest Honor, a Blood-Horse compilation published in 2004 by Eclipse Press. The book was later updated and re-issued in 2011 as Horse Racing Divas: From Azeri to Zenyatta, Twelve Fillies and Mares Who Achieved Horse Racing's Highest Honor.
- News about the ongoing work to create an appropriate memorial for Lady's Secret (see below) can be found at the Facebook page of Celebrities for Lady's Secret (https://www.facebook.com/groups/752660518184923/).
Fun facts
- Lady's Secret was popularly known as “The Iron Lady.”
- Lady's Secret was the world's leading money-winning female Thoroughbred at the time of her retirement.
- The Lady's Secret Stakes was run at Santa Anita as a Grade I race for fillies and mares aged 3 and up in 1993-2011. It was renamed in honor of another great race mare, Zenyatta, in 2012.
- Monmouth Park hosts a race named for Lady's Secret. It is run as a listed stakes for fillies and mares aged 3 and up over 8½ furlongs on dirt. The track cafe at Monmouth is also named in honor of Lady's Secret.
- Lady's Secret's paddock buddy was the stakes-placed Grey Dawn II mare Superbe Dawn. After Lady's Secret's sudden death, Superbe Dawn became the nurse mare for her General Meeting colt, eventually named Cool Valley Cowboy.
- Following Shirley Kimball's purchase of Valley Creek Farm, work began on the “Lady's Secret Memorial Garden.” The work is being continued by the Friends of the Lady's Secret Memorial Garden, which hopes to restore the garden, provide an appropriate memorial marker for the great mare, and reinstate the Lady's Secret Stakes so that the memory of the “Iron Lady” will not be forgotten.