Del Mar racetrack
As a two-year-old, Hidden Lake won only once, in her second start on August 5, 1995, at Del Mar racetrack. She showed some promise by finishing second in the Maker's Mark Stakes and Anoakia Stakes. She started her three-year-old season with an allowance race win on January 6, 1996, at Santa Anita but then went on a six race losing streak that included third place finishes in the Santa Anita Oaks and Las Virgenes Stakes, both Grade I stakes. She finally earned her first graded stakes win in the grade II La Brea Stakes on December 29.