Secret Oath's Longshot Odds a Surprise to Lukas

So much for respect for the winner of the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1).

Six months ago, Briland Farms' Secret Oath  was the belle of the Thoroughbred distaff set as she rolled to victory in the prestigious Oaks at Churchill Downs.

No one seems to remember that as the $2 million Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) is set to run at Keeneland on Nov. 5. Secret Oath is listed as 15-1 on the Distaff morning line, which has a field of eight. 

Only two others in the race—Blue Stripe  (20-1) and Awake At Midnyte  (30-1)—have longer odds.

"That surprised me," Secret Oath's Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said outside his Keeneland barn Thursday morning as his wife, Laurie, grazed the 3-year-old filly. "But, it doesn't mean anything. People have opinions; horses have the facts."

Since that electric day at Churchill on the first Friday in May, Secret Oath has gone winless in four straight grade 1 races, all against 3-year-olds. She was fourth against the boys in the Preakness (G1) and then stayed with her own gender for the next three starts.

Secret Oath, a daughter of Arrogate , finished a distant second in two grade 1s at Saratoga Race Course—the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) and Alabama Stakes (G1)—and then was third in the Cotillion Stakes (G1) at Parx Racing. 

Never one to be deterred, Lukas continues to forge on. He comes into the Distaff with as much confidence as ever despite the presence of 3-year-old Nest , who drilled Secret Oath by a combined 16 1/2 lengths in the summer races at Saratoga Race Course.

She will also have to contend with another 3-year-old in Society , who romped to a 5 3/4-length win at Parx as well as older fillies Malathaat  and Clairiere .

The Distaff will be Secret Oath's ninth start of 2022; Nest is second with seven trips to the starting gate this year. Secret Oath has three wins, two seconds, and two thirds this year.

"They are bred to run," Lukas said. "The younger guys get caught up in these five-six week breaks. When you are a trainer, you can be real confident in your horse, but you have to respect the others and have a reality check that maybe you aren't as good as the others. I really think she is stronger in her gallops; she handles it now so much better than she did in June. I always thought she would get better as she got older."

The Distaff could be the final time that Lukas puts a saddle on Secret Oath. She is entered in The November Sale at Fasig-Tipton (Hip 231) on Nov. 6.

"If she wins (the Distaff) and walks into that ring, she will really light 'em up," Lukas said of the filly, who very well might end up back in his barn for her 4-year-old season. "If she is third or fourth or fifth, it would probably be watered down. If whoever buys her takes her back to the track next year, they'll be getting a better horse than she is right now."