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Secret Oath Retired; Will Sell At Fasig-Tipton November

Secret Oath (Arrogate–Absinthe Minded, by Quiet American), whose accomplishments include a win in the 2022 GI Kentucky Oaks, has been retired due to a minor problem with her right front ankle, reports trainer Wayne Lukas.

She will sell at the Fasig-Tipton November sale.

The story was first reported by Ron Flatter of Horse Racing Nation.

Owned by Rob and Stacy Mitchell, Secret Oath came down with the injury after working five furlongs in :58.60 on Sept. 28 at Churchill Downs. Lukas said that the injury caused him to keep her out of Sunday's GI Spinster S. at Keeneland and with her missing that race he did not think she could make the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff.

“She's fine and she's sound,” he said. “But she was not going to make the Spinster. Rather than try to get her back together we decided to just go ahead and sell her.”

Secret Oath, a homebred, flourished as a 3-year-old. After she won the GIII Honeybee S., Lukas ran her against males in the GI Arkansas Derby, where she finished third. The Oaks was up next and she won that race by two lengths over eventual Eclipse Award winner Nest (Curlin).

“There are about 10,000 female horses born every year and she's the only one among them who won the Oaks,” Lukas said. “Those are the one-of-a-kind accomplishments every trainer strives for.”

After the Oaks, Secret Oath lost five straight but rebounded with a decisive win in the GII Azeri S. to kick off this year's campaign. She ran four more times, a stretch that included second-place finishes in the GI Apple Blossom H., the GI La Troienne S. and the GI Personal Ensign S.

“She was a picture of consistency,” Lukas said. “She showed up every time. Whenever I ran her she was right there. Secret Oath was good every time we started her. She always hit the board.”

A year ago, the Mitchells announced that Secret Oath would be sold in the Fasig-Tipton November sale, but they changed their minds and withdrew her so that they could race her one more year.

“She's going to bring some serious money,” Lukas said. “They still own the mother and a half-sister to Secret Oath. They are a small breeding operation so she has been a real blessing for them.”

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Champion Echo Zulu Leads Asmussen Workers

A trio of Breeders' Cup-bound horses trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen had their first works at Santa Anita Friday.

Drilling easy half miles under the watchful eye of assistant Scott Blasi were Echo Zulu (Gun Runner), who went the distance in 50.80 seconds and Society (Gun Runner), who completed her move in 50.20 seconds.

Also working for Asmussen was Private Creed (Jimmy Creed), who was officially clocked going three furlongs in 37.40 seconds.

“This was their first work on the racetrack so we didn't want to do a whole lot,” Blasi said. “It was just a maintenance breeze to get them used to the surface.”

Echo Zulu, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2021, is a perfect 3-for-3 this campaign including a win in the GI Ballerina S. most recently Aug. 26 at Saratoga. She is being pointed to either the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint going six furlongs against males or the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at seven furlongs. Both races are slated for Nov. 4 at Santa Anita.

Society is headed to the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at 1 1/8 miles the same day at Santa Anita. Private Creed is targeting the five-furlong GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Nov. 4.

Asmussen and Blasi plan to work two more Breeders' Cup hopefuls on Saturday at Santa Anita: Clairiere (Curlin), who will also go in the Distaff; and Gunite (Gun Runner), who is possible for either the Sprint or Dirt Mile, both also Nov. 4.

In other Breeders' Cup news, top-rated Classic contender Arcangelo (Arrogate) walked the shedrow and appeared to be doing well the morning after having his first work at Santa Anita. On Thursday, the Belmont and Travers winner drilled five furlongs in 1:02.20 for trainer Jena Antonucci.

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Blue Rose Cen Will Skip The Breeders’ Cup In Favour Of A Winter Break Before A 2024 Campaign

Multiple Group 1 winner Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), who won the G1 Prix de l'Opera and booked her ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf as a result, will skip that engagement and is being freshened prior to being prepared for a 4-year-old campaign, Jour de Galop reported on Friday.

The Yeguada Centurion homebred is trained by Christopher Head. In 2022, she won the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac, and then completed a rare triple when adding the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and G1 Prix de Diane. After two unplaced runs at the highest level, she won the Opera by a neck and is currently on break at Haras de l'Hotellerie according to Head.

“Blue Rose Cen achieved a magnificent season,” he told the JDG. “You have to know how to respect the horses and, moreover, she will be seen again on the track as a 4-year-old. She went to take a month-and-a-half vacation, with the idea that it would be profitable for next year.

“We had thought about running in the Breeders' Cup last year and we skipped it because she had walked on a rock. Finally, when we see what she achieved this year, it was perhaps a blessing in disguise. We do not have a set programme for next year for her.”

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NY Racetrack Chaplaincy Celebrates Opening Of New Center

The New York Race Track Chaplaincy hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday and opened the doors to its new Chaplaincy Center at Belmont Park in Elmont, NY. The 3,500-foot multi-purpose building and chapel, designed by Frost Hurff Architects of Saratoga Springs, NY, is located just inside the Gate 6 entrance to Belmont Park on Hempstead Avenue in Elmont, NY.

“The creation and the opening of this facility is something we have worked for and dreamt about for many years and it is absolutely thrilling to see it become a reality,” said Ramon Dominguez, president of the Board of the New York Racetrack Chaplaincy. “It will serve the wide-ranging needs of countless individuals from the backstretch community.”

The chaplaincy ministers to the needs of the backstretch community at the NYRA racetracks (Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park, and Saratoga Race Course) as well as surrounding farms through a wide variety of programs. They include enrichment programs for children, teen mentoring, women's enrichment, social service and recreational programs, as well as educational opportunities, and non-denominational religious services.

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