A ringing endorsement from Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens could propel bettors to take another look at the 3-year-old filly Secret Oath as she takes on the boys in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Arkansas Derby on April 2. Stevens spoke to the Thoroughbred Daily News about the daughter of Arrogate, comparing her to his Kentucky Derby-winning mount from 1988, the filly Winning Colors.
Both Secret Oath and Winning Colors have been conditioned by Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.
Stevens said: “People have asked me, 'Is [Secret Oath] anything like Winning Colors?' I actually think from what I'm seeing in the mornings, she may be better than Winning Colors. She's got a different style, she loves to sit off the pace and be a stalker and accelerate. She's got brilliant acceleration for a dirt horse–almost like a turf horse. When she drops [her head] and puts in her kick, she gets it over with in a hurry. Now, granted, she's been running against fillies, but I think there's a lot more in the tank than what we've seen.”
A homebred for Briland Farm (Robert and Stacy Mitchell), Secret Oath already has secured a spot in the Kentucky Oaks – the nation's biggest race for 3-year-old fillies – after collecting 60 points for victories in the Martha Washington and Honeybee. Both races were 1 1/16 miles.
Secret Oath had been a candidate for Oaklawn's final Kentucky Oaks prep, the $600,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles April 2, before Lukas opted for the Arkansas Derby.
The filly recorded a five-furlong bullet (:59.40) workout on March 17 at Oaklawn Park, confirming Lukas' decision to send her against the males in the Arkansas Derby. The race offers points in the Kentucky Derby on a scale of 100-40-20-10.
Listen to Stevens' entire interview at the Thoroughbred Daily News.
The post Gary Stevens: Filly Trying Arkansas Derby, Secret Oath ‘May Be Better Than Winning Colors’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
