ELMONT, N.Y.-- Trainer John Ward dropped a pre-Belmont Stakes bomb Friday afternoon when Forest Secrets, the least accomplished filly in a strong field of eight, gutted out a neck victory in the Grade 1 $200,000 Acorn Stakes at Belmont Park.

Victory Ride, the 7-5 favorite who had done only slightly more than Forest Secrets but was more brilliant in doing so, finished second after making the lead inside the sixteenth pole. She finished a neck in front of the late-running Real Cozzy.

Unbridled Elaine finished fourth followed by Caressing, Honey Eyed, With Ability, and Latour.

Sent off as the second-longest shot on the board at 50-1, Forest Secrets returned $102.50 to win and keyed a $343.50 exacta.

Ward trains Forest Secrets for Debby Oxley, the wife of John Oxley, for whom Ward trains Kentucky Derby winner and Belmont Stakes contender Monarchos.

Forest Secrets, a daughter of Forest Wildcat, came into the Acorn with only a maiden victory to her credit. She also finished second, beaten a nose in a preliminary allowance race at Churchill Downs on May 13.

Under Chris McCarron, Forest Secrets broke out of the gate on top, but soon settled in behind With Ability, who under Jerry Bailey carved out fractions of 22.66 seconds and 45.40. Forest Secrets poked her head in front of With Ability approaching the five-sixteenths pole but then was confronted by Unbridled Elaine on the outside and Victory Ride on the rail in the stretch.

Victory Ride, under Edgar Prado, put a neck in front inside the sixteenth pole, but Forest Secrets came back in the final strides. Over a fast track, Forest Secrets covered the mile in 1:34.92 ? equaling the fourth fastest Acorn time.

"I didn't how I was going to hold that other filly off until the last 100 yards," McCarron said. "This filly was able to find more. Where she found it from I don't know."

Victory Ride was blocked behind a wall of horses around the turn but she found room in the stretch and faltered after making the lead. It was Victory Ride's first loss after she had won her first two starts by a combined 21 1/2 lengths.

"She broke okay and was relaxed going down the backside," Prado said. "When I asked her she gave me a nice acceleration but the other horse was brave enough to come back."

Caressing, last year's 2-year-old champion, was beaten 13 lengths. It was the worst finish of her seven-race career. Jockey Pat Day said Caressing changed leads at appropriate times.

"She never had any punch at all," Day said.