Secret Oath blazes home to win Azeri Stakes
Secret Oath aced her 4-year-old return to the races, blasting home under new jockey Tyler Gaffalione to win the Grade 2, $350,000 Azeri Stakes in eye-catching fashion Saturday at Oaklawn Park.
Secret Oath won the 2022 Kentucky Oaks following an outstanding Oaklawn campaign, but went on to lose her five post-Oaks starts last year. Withdrawn from a November auction, she went back into training this winter over a surface she clearly loves, and trainer D. Wayne Lukas had the filly spot on for her 2023 debut.
Last winter, Secret Oath won two Oaklawn stakes, each by more than seven lengths, and she might well have beaten males with something other than a ridiculously poor trip in the Arkansas Derby. Her workout pattern into the Azeri strongly suggested the filly was thriving again in Hot Springs, and that is exactly how Secret Oath raced.
With her regular rider Luis Saez opting to pilot Tapit Trice to victory Saturday in the Tampa Bay Derby, Gaffalione flew in from Florida to pick up the mount, and Gafflalione, with plenty of help from the horse beneath him, turned in a gem of a ride.
Patience – that’s the key with Secret Oath, who likes to gallop along at her own pace and come with a big run. Breaking slightly slow from post 1, Secret Oath cleaved to the inside rail around the first turn and raced behind six rivals and in front only of 11-10 favorite Clairiere down the backstretch. Lovely Ride had to work a bit to make the lead before setting splits of 23.63 seconds and 48.39, and as the field hit the second bend, Gaffalione angled toward the outside to ensure he had room to operate. Secret Oath began moving in earnest at the three-furlong marker, was looming at the five-sixteenths pole, came very wide to the quarter pole while bearing down on the leaders, and swooped on the far outside to hit the front at the furlong grounds. Hitting her best stride through the final furlong, the filly zipped her final sixteenth of a mile in a dazzling 5.72 while pulling clear to a 2 3/4-length win.
Winning time for 1 1/16 miles on a track still rated fast despite misting rain was 1:43.26, and Secret Oath paid $4.80.
Clairiere, last much of the way, also finished with good energy to nail Interstatedaydream for second. The latter was making her 4-year-old debut and first start since last summer and ran well in defeat. So, too, did Clairiere, who should come forward for the Grade 1 Apple Blossom next month.
Clairiere was part of a three-horse photo in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, where Secret Oath made an early move to hit the front, then struggled the final furlong. Secret Oath, by Arrogate out of Absinthe Minded, by Quiet American, never seemed quite right the second part of her 3-year-old campaign. She was right as rain Saturday.
Gaffalione “put on a really, really special ride,” said Lukas, suggesting the jockey switch is not temporary. “I don’t think we’ll change anything – why would you change it? She’ll be in the Apple Blossom if everything goes well.”
So will Clairiere. Still, the secret long ago got out – Secret Oath loves Oaklawn.
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