In an era when almost every coach has become too cautious and too patient, Wayne Lukas, 86, has emerged as a breath of fresh air.
Lukas announced last week that he will be making a Secret Oath (Arrogate) for his star in the April 2 Arkansas Derby. against a herd of ponies instead of the safer option, GIII Fantasy S. ran the same day. It’s not only a bold choice, but also a smart one. With the men’s team entering the Arkansas Derby being an unusually weak team, Secret Oath became a favorite in a race that cost $1.25 million and the winner received 100 points for the Derby. She can absolutely win. The Fantasy costs $600,000.
And while Lukas said that the horse, no matter how it performed in the Arkansas Derby, was shown to the GI Kentucky Oaks, don’t believe him for a minute. If she wins the Arkansas Derby, she’ll run in the GI Kentucky Derby. Lukas went too far not to seize that opportunity. This is right out of his playbook.
The last came in the Derby in 2010 when Devil May Care (Malibu Moon) finished 10th. In 2016, Churchill switched to a new system, awarding qualifying points according to the traditional calculation of race money. rather than by earnings in decentralized wager races. That means a shark has to run in preparation before the males to have any chance of making it into the Derby. So far, no one has even tried.
Enter Lukas. He didn’t become one of the greatest coaches of all time by timidity.
He won the 1984 Arkansas Derby against Dirty Althea, who entered that race just seven days after winning the Fantasy. That was the last time a fat man won the Arkansas Derby. She didn’t do well in the Kentucky Derby, she was only 19 years old. But she was there. In 1988, he sent Winning Colors from GI Santa Anita Oaks straight to the GI Santa Anita Derby, which she won. Four weeks later, she became the third person in history to win the Kentucky Derby. Lady’s Secret has fought men seven times and defeated them in GI Whitney H. 1986, a victory that earned her the title of Horse of the Year. Serena’s song won the 1995 GII Jim Beam before finishing 16th in the Derby, the fourth player coached by Lukas to start the race. She went on to win the 1995 GI Haskell Invitational. In 1996, she only missed a neck when she finished second in the Whitney.
Secret Oath, a late developer, did not achieve success until she arrived in Oaklawn. She won the December 31 stipend there with 8 1/4 lengths and then beat Martha Washington S. with 7 1/4. Next was a start in GIII Honeybee S. and she crushed them again, winning by 7 and a half rounds.
She may not be as good as Victory Colors or Lady Secret, but she doesn’t have to be…especially when it comes to winning the Arkansas Derby. Many of the starters will be coming out of the GII Rebel, which is a mess. It was won by a 75-1 Un Ojo (Laoban) shot and favorites from the Baffert stable, Newgrange (Violence), was a dull Friday. The uprising went into 1:45.69 for mile sixteen. The previous six races in Honeybee, Secret Oath went almost a second faster, in 1:44.74.
In TD Thornton’s Latest Derby Top 12, Not a single player confirmed to be an Arkansas Derby made the list.
Of the ponies keeping an eye on the Derby, there was no bystander, no one to fear. The best horse might be Baffert’s Messier (Empire Maker) and, due to Baffert’s problems, he may not be on the field. There is also the Echo Zulu (Gunman) coefficient. Last year’s Eclipse Junior Champion will make his 3-year-old debut on Saturday at Fair Grounds during GII Fair Grounds Oaks. If she continues right where she left off, she will probably be better off than any of the ponies keeping an eye on the Derby.
Then there’s the “what’s best for the game” corner. In an extended period where scandals have dominated the headlines, the sport could really use a moving story. To see a revered icon attempt to win the Kentucky Derby, 23 years after he last won a race and to do so with someone at the age of 86, is something that anyone can do. gather around. This could be Lukas’ last chance and he seems ready to take it. Good for him.
Talking about the old Timer…
How about R Superstar Rated (Kodiak Kid) Win a $500,000 Ranked Bet Race at the age of 9? The veteran player set the record Saturday in Oaklawn when he beat GIII Essex H. by 2 1/4.
Owner Danny Caldwell and trainer Federico Villafranco took a big chance last year asking for the 8-year-old horse for $50,000. But he’s more than just paying them back. He’s won four times since and made $300,000 in Essex for the richest win of his career. Rated R Superstar won his first rank bet in 2016 when he won the GIII Carry Back S. in Oaklawn. He won six stake races, including the 2019 Essex, unranked that year. He will advance in GII Oaklawn H. April 23.
New Million Arlington
People love to hate Churchill Downs, but when they do something right, they get recognized for it. The announcement last week that Churchill would hold a one-day meeting on August 13 and would host the GI Arlington Million, GI Beverly DS and the GII S. Secretariat was a welcome one. However, it was met with a lot of negatives.
Chris Block, president of the Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, which represents horse owners and trainers, told nbcchi Chicago.com that Million’s move “is another reminder that Churchill Downs has closed the Company.” member of Arlington and abandoned the Illinois racecourse, affecting hundreds of jobs across our state. ”
Yes, it would have been much better if Arlington Park had stayed open and held those races, but that’s not going to happen. The only alternative to the Million being run in Churchill is for it not to be run. This is better. The sport cannot easily lose such a historic race.
By the way, The Million wasn’t always run in Arlington. With Arlington in the process of being rebuilt after a fire, it was commissioned at Woodbine in 1988.
