Betting with, and against, Secret Oath in the Honeybee Stakes

Oaklawn Park

February 24th, 2022

A compact field of six sophomore fillies will travel 1 1/16 miles at Oaklawn Park in Saturday’s $300,000 Honeybee S. (G3). The 2022 Road to the Kentucky Oaks event will reward the top four finishers with qualifying points (50-20-10-5) towards the May 6 contest at Churchill Downs.

The one to beat in the Honeybee is the surging #3 Secret Oath (3-2), who has won her pair of local assignments by a combined 15 1/2 lengths at the current meeting. Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, the Arrogate three-year-old sent notice that she was a runner when graduating in her second lifetime try beneath the Twin Spires in October, but she has really elevated her game as of late.

Secret Oath beat arguably a better field last time out in the Martha Washington S. by a facile 7 1/4 lengths, and the chestnut shows two solid morning drills in the interim. The Briland Farm color bearer has displayed a potent turn of foot in her last two endeavors, and she will be especially tough to hold off on Saturday with anything resembling her latest outing. Luis Contreras retains the mount atop the budding star.

The Rodolphe Brisset-trained #2 Yuugiri (5-2) was a superb debut winner as a juvenile and followed that score with a pair of runner-up showings in the stakes ranks, including a big second in the Golden Rod S. (G2) to cap her two-year-old season. The talented bay filly has been working well at this venue since early January in preparation of her return, and she rates as the main threat to the favorite in this offering.

Yuugiri is swift early on, but she did show the ability to carry her speed last season, and this seems like a very logical spot to kick start her 2022 campaign. The daughter of Shackleford will prompt the pace and benefit from the presence of John Velazquez.

#1 Optionality (7-2) was a distant second in the Martha Washington last out, but Steve Asmussen's filly was a clear runner-up in what was a solid performance in my opinion. The Gun Runner miss is versatile, fit, and also well drawn on the rail. She is an obvious top-three player in the cast with Tyler Gaffalione inheriting the ride.