2022 Kentucky Oaks (G1) heroine Secret Oath continues to progress toward her 4-year-old debut in the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) for older fillies and mares March 11 at Oaklawn Park.
The Briland Farm homebred hasn’t started since finishing fifth in the Nov. 5 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) at Keeneland. After a winter freshening, the Arrogate filly returned to the work tab Jan. 8 at Oaklawn, recording a half-mile bullet in :47 3/5. Secret Oath subsequently breezed five furlongs Jan. 16 (1:01 4/5) and Jan. 23 (1:01 2/5).
“Everybody you talk to on their horse always tells you they love the way they’re training and everything,” Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said of Secret Oath. "But I’m pleasantly surprised. I knew she’d fill out and put on weight and mature. I’m surprised how much she did this winter.”
The Azeri is an intended prep race for Secret Oath toward the April 15 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1), a $1 million race at 1 1/16 miles. Her dam, Absinthe Minded, finished second in the 2012 Apple Blossom for Lukas and Briland Farm. Absinthe Minded also ran fourth in the 2012 Azeri.
“We’ll go straight into the Azeri,” Lukas said. “In fact, we could jump in any time here in February without a blink.”
Last winter and spring, Secret Oath was a runaway winner of the Martha Washington Stakes and Honeybee Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn before finishing third behind the boys in the Arkansas Derby (G1).
