Tachas Secret, High Rolling Seize dead heat in Born Runner Classic

Tachas Secret and High Rolling Seize were inseparable at the finish line to record the first Indiana Quarter Horse Stakes dead heat in state history.

The two horses were declared co-winners Saturday of the 15th running of the $84,000 Born Runner Classic during the first all Quarter Horse Day of 2024 at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

Tachas Secret and High Rolling Seize (photo) had different approaches to the race. Tachas Secret got out of the gate strong on the inside for jockey Fernando Morin. High Rolling Seize and Shanley Jackson were a step or two slow coming from the far outside post in the 400 yard dash.

Tachas Secret established herself as the one to catch. High Rolling Seize established himself as the one to fend off in the final strides. He was rolling swiftly to the wire and caught Tachas Secret to score the dead heat in a time of 20.095 seconds.

“First I want to thank God for this win and to Matt (Frazier) for giving me such a nice horse to ride,” said Jackson, the track’s all-time leading Quarter Horse jockey for purse earnings. “Getting away from the gate, he was struggling. But he went running. He wants to win. He’s such a good horse.”

After review, both Tachas Secret and High Rolling Seize walked into the winner’s circle together for the dual photo. Tachas Secret paid $2.10 for the win and High Rolling Seize paid $3.00.

Tachas Secret gave trainer Ricardo Martinez his second stakes win on the card, coupled with Nachor Secret in the Harley Greene Derby. High Rolling Seize provided another career stakes win for trainer Matt Frazier.

Ironically, both horses are sired by former racehorses at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Habits Secret was campaigned by Martinez and Seize the Win was campaigned by Frazier.

In fact, Seize the Win has the same connections with owner Glenn Graff, who is the breeder and owner of High Rolling Seize. Shanley Jackson has campaigned both the sire and the son. The owner-trainer combo also had another full brother in the field as Seize Greatness, the younger brother of High Rolling Seize, finished fourth in the race.

High Rolling Seize earned his eighth career victory and his fourth stakes win in the effort.

“This horse has been historically inconsistent out of the gates,” explained Frazier of High Rolling Seize. “He has been slipping and stumbling, just like he did today and 100 yards out he was a length back. That was an awfully nice horse we just matched, so this was a great win.”

The awfully nice horse Frazier was referring to is Tachas Secret, owned by Duke Racing. She was purchased by the Duke Family from Ricardo Martinez. In an earlier interview, he noted Ricardo was hesitant to sell her, but finally agreed as long as he could retain her and train her.

Since that time, the partnership has reaped rewards. She was the 2023 QHRAI Champion Three-Year-Old Filly and Three-Year-Old Filly Indiana Bred High Point Champion last year. Overall, she has seven wins and now accumulated earnings of more than $217,000.

“I was worried at the end we lost by a bob,” said Chris Duke, managing partner of Duke Racing. “I don’t think she could see him (High Rolling Seize). But we’ll take the dead heat. A dead heat with these two horses is a nice honor.”

Harley Greene Derby

Nachor Secret earned his first career stakes win in the 10th running of the Harley Greene Derby Final Saturday.

Nachor Secret (photo) turned in the quickest trial to advance into the Greene Derby final and he came right back with another impressive win. It was only the second time he would match strides with 2023 Quarter Horse of the Year Red Headed Beach, who scored a win against him last fall in the Miss Roxie Little Futurity Final.

 Ridden by Martin Munoz, Nachor Secret broke from post seven in perfect fashion in the nine-horse lineup, but it was Red Headed Beach and Rolando Pina who grabbed the lead from the gate. The duo moved out with authority to lead the way through the initial stages of the 350-yard dash.

Midway down the stretch, Nachor Secret began to accelerate toward Red Headed Beach. Once he caught up with her, she dug back in to give him a challenge, but his momentum was too strong as he cruised under the wire for the win by three-quarters of a length in a time of 17.855.

Red Headed Beach was a solid second place finisher over Tin Knocker and Jorge Garcia for third.

Nachor Secret paid $6.20 for the win. It was his fourth career win in eight starts with only one of those outings off the board. He more than doubled his career earnings and now has more than $92,000 on his credentials.

“I’m very excited for this win,” said Martinez, who noted the gelding’s dam, Eyes a Favorite, passed away the day he won his trial. “This means a lot to have both his mom and his dad. Since we gelded him this winter, he has been easy to work with. He eats and sleeps and works when he has to. I was hoping for the same performance he turned in during his trials and he would run the same and he did today.”

The Shelby County Post is a digital newspaper producing news, sports, obituaries and more without a pay wall or subscription needed. Get the most recent Shelby County Post headlines delivered to your email by visiting shelbycountypost.com and click on the free daily email signup link at the top of the page.