Lukas Taking 'Dead Aim' on KY Oaks With Secret Oath

Dreams of roses have been replaced by a blanket of lilies in what lies ahead for Briland Farm's brilliant filly Secret Oath .

The 3-year-old daughter of the late Arrogate held her own against the boys in the April 2 Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park, her first foray outside of her division. After getting pinched at the break, she launched a monster move around the far turn that took her from eighth to third, then battled to the end where she was edged out by three-quarters of a length for second by Barber Road —who finished 2 3/4 lengths behind the victorious Cyberknife .

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas told Caton Bredar of TVG the morning of April 3 that although she was tired after her effort, she appeared otherwise in fine order Sunday.

The filly's third-place showing, which allotted just 20 points toward the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) to rank her 22nd on the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard, solidified her connections' decision to return their focus to the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1). Secret Oath currently ranks fourth on the Kentucky Oaks Leaderboard with 80 points. It is highly unlikely she would have enough points to qualify for the 20-horse Kentucky Derby field after the final major Road to the Kentucky Derby preps are conducted April 9. 

"First of all, I don't think Rob and Stacy Mitchell want to subject her to a 20-horse field," Lukas told Bredar. "You're always going to have trouble in a 20-horse field, unless you're extremely lucky. So there's that and of course taking on the colts. We have nothing to really prove to take on the colts.

"She belongs in the Oaks. She's going to be one of the favorites in the Oaks, and the Oaks will be a tough race, it always is. She has five weeks to recover from this, and this race probably ended any talk of going to the Derby and cemented her position on going to the Oaks."

Lukas didn't completely draw out running against males down the line, mentioning the May 21 Preakness Stakes (G1) as a race that could be under consideration in the future. The Hall of Fame trainer finished third in the 1988 Preakness Stakes with the Derby-winning filly Winning Colors. The only target set in stone for Secret Oath, however, is the first Friday in May.

"I think we need to take dead aim on the Oaks and get the Oaks on (Secret Oath)'s resume," said Lukas. "It's not probably fair to her or too wise to start looking too far ahead. You have to just look at the one that's right in front of you."

Lukas was touched by the large audience that flocked to Oaklawn yesterday to see Secret Oath run. He believes his filly is a shining source of positivity in a game that has recently been shrouded by darkness.

"Management told me they thought she made at least a 20,000 difference (in the crowd size)," Lukas told Bredar. "The way the crowd accepted her on the way back after the race was enlightening. She has really caught the imagination in a time where things aren't real smooth in racing. It's really good for the game."