Secret Oath: Preakness contender profile

May 19th, 2022

Secret Oath will make her second attempt against males following a convincing win in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) 15 days earlier.

Third as the favorite in the Arkansas Derby (G1), the Kentucky-bred stamped herself as a quality performer when crushing female rivals in the Honeybee (G3) and Martha Washington S. earlier this season. The late-running chestnut rallied to defeat a deep group of challengers in the Kentucky Oaks, netting a higher Brisnet Speed rating (103) than Kentucky Derby upsetter Rich Strike a day later.

The Kentucky-bred fits on form, her trainer is a six-time Preakness winner, and Secret Oath may have more to offer moving forward. Fillies have captured two of the last 12 runnings of the Preakness, and Secret Oath rates as a major player. She’s the 9-2 third choice on the morning line.

Secret Oath Speed Figures

Top Brisnet Speed: 103, Kentucky Oaks

Top Brisnet Late Pace: 101, Martha Washington

Secret Oath Pedigree

Sire: Arrogate

Secret Oath is from the first crop of the late champion Arrogate. He wasn't mature enough to compete in the Triple Crown but produced astounding performances in the Travers (G1), Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), Pegasus World Cup (G1), and Dubai World Cup (G1), and remains the all-time leading U.S.-trained prize money earner.

Dam: Absintheminded

Secret Oath is the first stakes winner out of the multiple stakes-winning and multiple Grade 1-placed mare Absintheminded, a daughter of Quiet American, who is best known as the sire of 1998 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Real Quiet. As a broodmare sire, Quiet American is best known for 2006 Preakness winner and champion three-year-old Bernardini and 2005 Horse of the Year Saint Liam.

Secret Oath Connections

Owner: Briland Farm

Owned and bred by Robert and Stacy Mitchell’s Briland Farm, Secret Oath is the lone homebred in the 2022 Preakness field.

Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas

Secret Oath provided D. Wayne Lukas with a record-tying fifth Kentucky Oaks winner, and the 86-year-old Hall of Famer will look to join Bob Baffert and Robert Walden with a record-tying seventh Preakness victory. Lukas, who leads all trainers with 45 Preakness starts, has won with Codex (1980), Tank’s Prospect (1985), Tabasco Cat (1994), Timber Country (1995), Charismatic (1999), and Oxbow (2013), and he’s finished second twice and third five times.