Week rated by TD Thornton
Secret Vow (Arrogate)’s big winning move despite the trip breakdown at GIII Honeybee S. on Saturday at Oaklawn Park put the 3-year-old at the top of the conversation at exactly the moment when the sport needs a bit of a transition. away from anything related to lawsuits, coach expulsion, and the GI Kentucky Derby.
There’s no denying that intern D. Wayne Lukas tops the charts for the GI Kentucky Oaks and her 86-year-old nurse isn’t crazy at least considering having her go up against men for the first time. later in the GI Arkansas Derby.
But if you want to drill down for a more accurate prediction of where Secret Oath really ranks in the debate over nightingales and ponies it’s always fascinating and if she can be good enough to run in the Derby instead of Oaks, you’ll have to present a measuring stick that doesn’t seem to be available at the moment.
Compare the 7 races of the 1/4-long Honeybee with the performance of the males in the GII Rebel S. 3 hours later on the same Oaklawn card is no start. Rebel has been billed as the “chaotic race” of the season so far between the early seasons of Derby because the 4-5 favorite is an absence from such another arena, and the race runs slow. won by an unpredictable gelding eye who paid $152.80.
Like the Oath of Secrets with Althea, the championship for Lukas four decades ago, who also raced at Oaklawn (and beat the boys in the Arkansas Derby) shouldn’t be going, at least for now. . Apparently, Althea came from a vastly different generation. But even then, she’s so anomalous that her past track record is like a racehorse from a completely different planet when you consider how often Lukas races her. and early in her career, she lined up at the starting gate against men.
We’ll have to let the next few weeks be a major deciding factor in how Secret Oath’s storyline unfolds, knowing that whichever path Lukas takes her, her next start will be. there is a halo of “dating circles” around it.
Secret Oath entered Honeybee 3v5, after winning the December 31 allowance race and the January 29 Martha Washington S. race, both in Oaklawn, with a total of 15 1/2. She took the 3-10 preemption on Saturday and looks set to make her final appearance in Honeybee, with her natural running style as a stalker/closer.
Jockey Luis Contreras allowed the Briland Ranch hybrid closer to the rear through opening quarters of :23.15 and :23.92, a brisk pace that seems to be working for Secret Oath. But far in turn, Contreras’ patience contributed to him being left pocketed behind two cave-accelerated vehicles while an outbound competitor kept his favorite vehicle locked and blocked, forcing Contreras had to pull the reins in a braking maneuver. .
At the age of sixteen, Contreras realized he had no choice but to plunge inside the tired leaders. And when Secret Oath saw the light of day through that narrow opening, she kicked like a pro at the alleyway. Never seriously threatened throughout the ramp, she wins while continuing the quest but never fully expands.
Secret Oath’s final time of 1:44.74 in 1 1/16 miles translates to Beyer’s Speed Number of 92, a point that is the best of her career. It’s worth noting that she carries 5 pounds more than the second and third placers.
Lukas said after the race that Secret Oath was nominated for both the Arkansas and the Kentucky Derbies. GIII Fantasy S. on the card under the April 2 Arkansas Derby will be a conservative pick against fill if he chooses not to join the boys.
Advocates of running in the Arkansas Derby will point out that the Secret Oath’s clock numbers and pace are superior to those that would follow six races later in the 3-year-old men’s companion stake. Oaklawn’s third race in the quarterfinals to win Kentucky Derby points is usually a pretty hot affair. But this year, it could go down because of “Revolt Without a Cause,” which is why it’s best to withhold any claims that Secret Oath would wreck that sector if she instead is entered in that position.
Rain had moved to Hot Springs by the time the feature race took place, and although the track was still listed as “fast” for the Rebel, it would soon require sealing and downgrade to “sloppy” for the race. ultimate race. Conditions not unlike California will eventually be cited as a possible reason for trainer Bob Baffert to love the Newgrange (Violence), who appeared ready to pounce after a hassle-free stalking ride but retreated to sixth place instead.
75-1 Un Ojo (Laoban) held steady every step of the way, briefly recovering at the 1/4 pole, then looking to retrace. But Un Ojo woke up belatedly with a tireless burst of energy to claim the 15-1 victory The path of purity (Quality Sugar), who was joined by the ambitious Lukas in the first win 19-1 in the first game number four. The final time was 1:45.69, almost a second behind Secret Oath’s time; Beyer (84) is also eight points lower.
Ethereal Road has given up serious real estate while connecting four widths at both turns, but is led from the quarterpost until 50 meters from the rope. He has certainly secured his ticket to the Arkansas Derby, leaving Lukas to consider next month whether he wants both his foal and top horse aiming for the same race.
In the meantime, expect those comparisons to Althea to permeate – even if they still haven’t.
Althea gave birth on June 22, 1983 in Hollywood Park. She finished second 17 days later at GII Landaluce S., then returned two weeks later, beating the boys 10 stages in the GII Hollywood Juvenile Championship. As the race turned to Del Mar, Lukas continued the pattern of aiming Althea against both the filling and the pony, and she responded by winning both the GII Del Mar Debutante (15 lengths) and the GII Del Mar Futurity, just 10 days apart.
After a combination of firsts and seconds against the fillings at Santa Anita in the fall, Althea closed out her two-year-old season by attempting a mixed-sex Division I double of Hollywood Starlet (first) and Juvenile (sixth). Althea began 1984 with Santa Anita winning over the fillings, then was transferred to Oaklawn to participate in the Fantasy show, where she finished a quick second despite experiencing significant trip problems.
Back then, Fantasy was run a week before the Arkansas Derby. Lukas spent most of that week saying he wouldn’t be attending Althea to play the boys. Anyway, he did.
Althea toyed with the Arkansas Derby, winning by seven races while equaling the record at the time. Lukas later admitted he had been planning all week to run away from his star in that position, but he chose not to tell anyone until race day began.
Thirty-eight years later, the day after Secret Oath’s win, Lukas was still committed to a plan other than saying he would enter races one by one.
Sunday, Lukas first told the Oaklawn notes team “I don’t know what we’re going to do,” before adding, “Right now, she’ll be in Fantasy and Ethereal Road will be in.” [Arkansas] Derby. ”
But you never know. A man has the right to change his mind.
