Last year’s GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Secret Oath (f, 4, Arrogate–Absinthe Minded, by Quiet American) returned to the races in style in Saturday’s GII Azeri S. at Oaklawn.
The rail-drawn, 7-5 second-choice raced one from the back rounding the clubhouse turn. Racing under a nice hold down the backstretch, she launched her familiar, wide sweeping move on the far turn, hit the front under confident handling in the stretch and had three lengths to spare over favorite Clairiere (Curlin). Interstatedaydream (Classic Empire) was third.
Secret Oath improved her record to four-for-five in Hot Springs. She was an impressive winner of last term’s GIII Honeybee S. and Martha Washington S., and was also third as the favorite against the boys in the GI Arkansas Derby.
The Azeri ended a five-race losing streak for Secret Oath. Second behind champion 3-year-old filly Nest (Curlin) in Saratoga’s GI CCA Oaks and GI Alabama S. last summer, the GI Preakness S. fourth-place finisher concluded her sophomore campaign with a fifth-place finish after leading in the stretch in the GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Keeneland Nov. 5.
Lifetime Record: 14-6-2-3.
O-Briland Farm; B-Briland Farm, Robert & Stacy Mitchell (Ky); T-D. Wayne Lukas.
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