Tag: Secret Oath

Nest finished all alone in Saturday's Grade 1 CCA Oaks -- 12 1/4 lengths ahead of her closest pursuer. The standout filly could run against the boys again in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes. (Image: NYRA Photo)

After CCA Oaks Win, Nest Could Challenge the Boys in the Travers

This time, Nest finished the job. There would be no yielding to her rival, Secret Oath. There would be nothing but vapor trails and dirt for Secret Oath and the rest of Saturday’s Grade 1 CCA Oaks field to absorb. Now, after Nest bludgeoned her rivals by 12 ¼ lengths […]

Secret Oath turned in a dominant performance in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks May 6. She has never lost to another filly in five races, a streak she puts on the line in Saturday's Grade 1 CCA Oaks at Saratoga. (Image: Coady Photography)

CCA Oaks Provides Another Glimpse of Secret Oath vs. Nest

There are actually five horses in Saturday’s featured Grade 1 CCA Oaks at Saratoga. But do not let yourself get bogged down by numbers. Let yourself get bogged down by details. Because this year’s CCA Oaks marks only the third time in the last 25 years the top-two finishers from […]

As the 6/5 favorite, Epicenter looked to be the horse to beat in Saturday's Preakness Stakes. Instead a bad start and poor tactics resulted in his second runner-up finish in as many Triple Crown races. (Image: Maryland Jockey Club)

Epicenter’s Second Triple Crown Runner-Up Frustrates Asmussen

After Epicenter finished second in the Kentucky Derby, trainer Steve Asmussen was stunned. After Epicenter finished second in Saturday’s Preakness Stakes, Asmussen was more than surprised. He was upset. Upset that his 6/5 favorite – who came into the 147th Preakness Stakes as the best all-around horse in the field […]

Early Voting (5) held off Epicenter (8) and Creative Minister (6) to win the 147th Preakness Stakes. (Image: Maryland Jockey Club)

Early Voting Finds Target, Punches a Winning Ballot in Preakness Stakes

Chad Brown wanted Early Voting to have “a target” in the 147th Preakness Stakes. He wanted the lightly raced, but fast colt to go out fast – but he wanted someone else to go out faster. And Armagnac obliged. The California colt wasted no time taking the lead, providing Early […]

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas (right on his exercise pony) takes aim at his record-tying seventh Preakness Stakes title with filly Secret Oath. The Kentucky Oaks winner would be the seventh filly to win the second jewel of the Triple Crown. (Image: Maryland Jockey Club)

Breaking Down the 2022 Preakness Stakes: More Filly Follies?

The 2022 Preakness Stakes comes to you with a paradox, a wagering quandary that pits one 21st century trend against one 2020s trend. The trend this century is the friend to chalk. Since 2000, 10 favorites found the Pimlico Race Course winner’s circle. Oxbow at 15.40/1 in 2013 is the […]

Secret Oath was the first Oaklawn Park-based horse to win the Kentucky Oaks since Rachel Alexandra in 2009. Now, the filly will attempt to duplicate that remarkable filly's Preakness Stakes win that year. (Image: Coady Photography)

Lukas Rolls the Filly Dice Again, Sends Secret Oath to the Preakness

Secret Oath will attempt to join Swiss Skydiver, Rachel Alexandra, and four other fillies as a Preakness Stakes champion after trainer D. Wayne Lukas confirmed the filly will run in the 147th Preakness Stakes on May 21 at Pimlico Race Course. Lukas went all-in Wednesday afternoon after opening the day […]

Epicenter did everything right except win Steve Asmussen his first Kentucky Derby. The 4.10/1 favorite adn Derby runner up is questionable for the Preakness Stakes. (Image: Churchill Downs/Coady Photography)

Derby Aftermath: Stunned Asmussen, Preakness Probables

Still trying to process how his Kentucky Derby futility streak hit 24 races, trainer Steve Asmussen was non-committal on whether Derby runner up Epicenter would run the May 21 Preakness Stakes. The two-time Preakness winner was very committal on his level of disbelief at what transpired 50 yards from his […]

Secret Oath captured the 148th Kentucky Oaks in impressive, workmanlike fashion. She may run two weeks from now in the Preakness Stakes. (Image: Churchill Downs/Coady Photography)

Secret Oath Comes Out of Kentucky Oaks Win Looking at Preakness

The options before Secret Oath – newly minted Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath – are plentiful and profitable. And Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said the Preakness Stakes remains one of those options. “I’m going to let a few days go by and then I’ll get with (owner) […]

Secret Oath works out before next week's Kentucky Oaks. But could she run against the boys again in the Preakness Stakes two weeks after that? (Image: Churchill Downs/Coady Photography)

Secret Oath May See the Boys Again in the Preakness Stakes

Earlier this month, trainer D. Wayne Lukas ran standout filly Secret Oath against the boys in the Arkansas Derby. And he said he may do it again in three weeks in the Preakness Stakes. Savvy fans and horseplayers may have wondered why the Hall of Fame trainer nominated Secret Oath […]

Secret Oath is bidding to be the first filly in 38 years to win the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby. The D. Wayne Lukas charge is the 5/2 morning line favorite. (Image: Coady Photgraphy)

Favorite Secret Oath is No Secret Coming in to Arkansas Derby

In 1984, D. Wayne Lukas decided on a whim to bring back his filly Althea for the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby. That this was unconventional – even for those times of running horses far more often than happens now – can’t be understated. That’s because Althea ran the week before, […]

Golden Rod winner Dream Lith is one of the favorites to win a wide-open Fantasy Stakes, the fourth leg of this week's Cross Country Pick 5. (Image: Coady Photgraphy)

Arkansas the Center of This Week’s Cross Country Pick 5

With Oaklawn Park sharing center-of-the-racing-world status with Gulfstream Park this weekend, the Arkansas track holds a near-monopoly on this week’s New York Racing Association Cross Country Pick 5. Four of this week’s five races come from Oaklawn Park, with Aqueduct providing the lone exception. Unlike last week’s Cross Country Pick […]

Smile Happy is the 6/1 individual favorite for the Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 4. (Image: Coady Photography/Churchill Downs)

The Field Takes Back Favorite Status in the KDFW Pool 4

The de-facto option for bettors not happy with the individual offerings of 3-year-olds: “All Other 3-Year-Olds,” a.k.a. the Field, closed as the 4/1 favorite in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW) Pool 4. With eight weeks to go before the May 7 Kentucky Derby, that fourth of five pools sponsored […]

This daylight victory in last Saturday's San Felipe Stakes is one big reason why Forbidden Kingdom is the 5/1 favorite in Pool 4 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager. (Image: Benoit Photo)

Forbidden Kingdom Runs Into Favored Status in KDFW Pool 4

Fresh off the heels of his dominant San Felipe Stakes win, Forbidden Kingdom opened as the 5/1 favorite in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW) Pool 4. That pool opens Friday and runs through Sunday. It runs concurrently with the lone Kentucky Oaks Future Wager (KOFW) pool. There, Churchill Downs oddsmaker […]

Secret Oath won her three Oaklawn Park starts by a combined 23 lengths. That includes this 7 1/2-length romp in the Grade 3 Honeybee Stakes. (Image: Coady Photography)

Lukas’ Secret is Officially Out, Meet Star Sophomore Filly Secret Oath

There is a certain dangerous element to giving a Hall of Famer like D. Wayne Lukas a filly like Secret Oath, a dangerous element that went on display Saturday in the Grade 3 Honeybee Stakes. The 86-year-old Lukas isn’t quite ready to retire. Not when he nearly swept Oaklawn’s two […]