Luis Saez has the mount on Secret Oath for the May 6 Kentucky Oaks, replacing Luis Contreras, who rode the D. Wayne Lukas-trained filly in her last four starts, ending with a third-place finish in the Arkansas Derby.

Saez’s agent is Kiaran McLaughlin, who was an assistant to Lukas in the 1980s before becoming a highly successful trainer in his own right.

Secret Oath is one of the favorites for the filly classic, along with Echo Zulu, Kathleen O., and Nest. A full gate of 14 is expected.

Nashville sent to Rood and Riddle

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Even with 40 points from his runner-up finish in the April 2 Jeff Ruby Steaks, Tawny Port will wheel back Saturday at Keeneland in the Grade 3 Lexington Stakes, the final qualifier for the 148th Kentucky Derby.

Trainer Brad Cox said he is running Tawny Port just two weeks later primarily “to see how he can do on the dirt,” even though the 40 points earned by the Pioneerof the Nile colt in the Ruby figure to be sufficient to make the 20-horse cutoff for the May 7 Derby at Churchill Downs. Points for the $400,000 Lexington are awarded on a 20-8-4-2 basis.

Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Aloha West is set to make his 2022 debut May 7 in the Grade 1, $750,000 Churchill Downs Stakes.

Aloha West, trained by Wayne Catalano for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, has been based at Churchill since leaving Fair Grounds in late March. He worked five furlongs there Friday in 59.40 seconds, fastest of 44 breezes at the distance that morning.

Oaklawn Park will bring together 14 members of the Hall of Fame on Saturday to meet with fans during an autograph session and to participate in special winner’s circle presentations, the track announced Tuesday. 

Oaklawn will have a 12-race card featuring the Grade 3, $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap that drew champion Jackie’s Warrior. 

The announced participants are Steve Asmussen, Bill Boland, Calvin Borel, Ramon Dominguez, Earlie Fires, Sandy Hawley, Chris McCarron, Bill Mott, Don Pierce, Laffit Pincay Jr., Edgar Prado, Jose Santos, Gary Stevens, and Nick Zito. 

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Just One Time, who won the Grade 1 Madison here Saturday, and Lady Rocket, who finished fourth after dueling on a taxing pace, both could run back in the Grade 1, $750,000 Derby City Distaff on May 7 at Churchill Downs.

Kentucky Derby hopeful Un Ojo is scheduled to work Saturday in Louisiana, and if his connections are pleased with the move following his troubled Arkansas Derby run he will ship next week to Churchill Downs, trainer Ricky Courville said. 

Un Ojo finished eighth in the Arkansas Derby on April 2 at Oaklawn after hitting the rail twice in an incident that led to having staples placed in a shoulder. The staples were removed Thursday, Courville said, and Un Ojo jogged both Friday and Saturday at his Copper Crowne training center base in Louisiana.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Charlton Baker likes the idea of waiting two months to run Grade 3 Distaff Handicap winner Glass Ceiling in the Grade 2, $300,000 Bed o’ Roses Stakes on June 10 at Belmont. He just hopes his mare sees it the same way.

Baker said Glass Ceiling came out of her five-length victory in Saturday’s Distaff Handicap “super.”

“She always eats everything,” he said. “By the time I got back to the barn [Saturday], she was done eating.”

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – With Wayne Potts beginning a lengthy suspension Sunday, his assistant Bonnie Lucas has taken over the stable. On Sunday, Lucas sent out Catch the Smoke to win a $20,000 claiming race at Aqueduct.

Lucas said she has taken out her trainer’s license and plans to be a head trainer even after Potts is eligible to return from suspension on June 24. Potts has 75 days’ worth of suspensions – 45 from the New York Gaming Commission and 30 from the New Jersey Racing Commission.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – A year ago, City Man came off a five-month layoff to run second in the Grade 2 Fort Marcy at Belmont Park, running a career-best 100 Beyer Speed Figure in the process.

This year, City Man will again take a shot at winning the Grade 2 Fort Marcy, only he’ll do so with a solid prep race under his belt. City Man came off a four-month layoff to win Saturday’s $100,000 Danger’s Hour Stakes at Aqueduct. He got a sweet setup when Value Proposition outfooted expected speed horse Rinaldi to the lead and City Man sat a stalking third before taking over in the lane.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Golden Pal emerged from his powerhouse Shakertown Stakes win Saturday in good condition, trainer Wesley Ward said Sunday.

Golden Pal, breaking brilliantly and showing his dazzling early speed, had the Shakertown wrapped up in midstretch and cruised home a 4 3/4-length winner. His Beyer Speed Figure, 109, was a career best, surpassing the 107 he earned in the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

“He actually got a little bit tired in the race,” Ward said.