Millionaire Grade 1 winner Secret Oath completed major preparations for her 4-year-old debut in the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) March 11 with a swift five-furlong workout over a sloppy track Friday morning at Oaklawn for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.
Under jockey and regular breeze rider Mickaelle Michel, Secret Oath was clocked in :59.80 and galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.20. The 2022 Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner and multiple Oaklawn stakes winner recorded splits of :12 for her opening eighth of a mile, :24 for a quarter-mile, :36.60 for three furlongs and :47.80 for a half-mile.
Friday marked the eighth published workout this year at Oaklawn for Secret Oath, who hasn't started since a fifth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) at 1 1/8 miles Nov. 5 at Keeneland. Secret Oath returned to the work tab Jan. 8 and has four bullet drills leading up to the Azeri, Oaklawn's final major prep for the $1-million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) April 15. Both races are 1 1/16 miles.
“Just every eight, 10 days, right down the line,” Lukas said Saturday morning. “She's dead fit. She's ready to go. I mean, I probably could have run her three weeks, a month ago. She's fit. I'm not worried about her fitness.”
In addition to the Kentucky Oaks (G1) last May at Churchill Downs, Secret Oath won three races at the 2022-2023 Oaklawn meeting, including the Honeybee Stakes (G3) and the Martha Washington Stakes, and finished third against males in the million Arkansas Derby (G1) at 1 1/8 miles.
Secret Oath, a homebred daughter of Arrogate for Briland Farm (Robert and Stacy Mitchell), will be ridden for the first time in the Azeri by Tyler Gaffalione, Lukas said. Luis Saez has ridden Secret Oath in her last six starts, including the Kentucky Oaks, but has opted to ride March 11 at Tampa Bay Downs, Lukas said. Its stakes-stacked card includes the $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby (G3) for 3-year-olds.
“Luis has got a (Kentucky) Derby prospect that he's really high on and didn't want to give it up,” Lukas said. “He really agonized over that decision, but he's afraid that he might lose it. Thinks it is going to win the Tampa Bay Derby and then he would lose it. He's going to try to talk to me into putting him back on. If Tyler rides a big race, he'll have a little trouble getting back on.”
Secret Oath was among six probables listed Saturday morning by the Oaklawn racing department, the others being millionaire Grade 1 winner Clairiere for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, Grade 3 winner Hidden Connection (Bret Calhoun), Grade 2 winner Interstatedaydream (Brad Cox), Oaklawn stakes winner Hot and Sultry (Norm Casse) and multiple Oaklawn stakes winner Lovely Ride (Robertino Diodoro).
Post positions for the Azeri will be drawn Monday.
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