Trainer D. Wayne Lukas won the first four runnings of the GIII Honeybee S. starting way back in 1988, and after picking up another trophy in 2007, sits tied with fellow Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen at a record five wins in Oaklawn's penultimate GI Kentucky Oaks prep. Lukas looks well positioned to break that tie with Asmussen as he sends out expected heavy favorite Secret Oath (Arrogate) in Saturday's renewal.
Briland Farm homebred Secret Oath was a second-out romper around two turns at Churchill on Halloween before finishing a distant fifth in that venue's GII Golden Rod S. Nov. 27. She took a dramatic step forward when airing by 8 1/4 lengths in a local allowance on New Year's Eve–good for a 93 Beyer Speed Figure–and justified 1-2 odds when dominating the track-and-trip Martha Washington S. Jan. 29.
Asmussen trainee Optionality (Gun Runner), previously an easy winner of stakes at Zia Park and Remington, was 7 1/2 lengths behind Secret Oath while completing the Martha Washington exacta after setting the pace. Asmussen makes a rider switch from Ricardo Santana, Jr. to Tyler Gaffalione this time.
Yuugiri (Shackleford), piloted by Gaffalione in all three starts last season, will be ridden this time by Hall of Famer John Velazquez and seems the main danger on paper to Secret Oath. A 7 1/4-length debut romper sprinting at Churchill in September, she was a well-beaten second in the Oct. 31 Rags to Riches S. and then turned the tables on that race's winner when second in the Golden Rod. While Secret Oath has certainly flattered the form of the Golden Rod, no others have, including the winner, who was sixth in last weekend's GII Rachel Alexandra S.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
