Heartbreaking Update Hits Horse Racing World as Secret Oath Announces Retirement

Published 10/08/2023, 2:41 PM EDT

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Secret Oath, the four-year-old filly showed its capability when she won the 2022 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. This gem of the horse racing world was a hope for the upcoming Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita but all the plans went in the cold when she got injured in its ankle. After analyzing the injury, the owners of Briland Farm have taken a very shocking decision regarding the filly.

The heartbreaking news shocked the horse racing world who were anticipating her participation at the Grade 1 Spinster Stakes race on 8th October. The filly trained by D. Wayne Lukas had raced at every major race course in the country and had won multiple stakes win in its career.

Secret Oath leaves the horse racing world

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According to the Paulick Report, Secret Oath has been retired from horse racing and shall be presented for sale at the November Fasig-Tipton. The filly was set to appear at Sunday’s Spinster Stakes at Keeneland for which she was training. On 28th September, she breezed on the Churchill Downs track for a five-furlong distance in 58.6 seconds. After the breeze, she came up with an ankle injury, and the sad decision was taken by the owners. Secret Oath’s last race was on the 25th of August at Saratoga race track for Grade 1 Personal Ensign Stakes where she secured the second spot behind Idiomatic.

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The daughter of Arrogate was bred and owned by Briland Farm and her first career race was in October 2021 at Churchill Downs where she finished in third place. She claimed her maiden win in her second race on the same track later that month. Secret Oath won her first stakes race at Oaklawn Park in  Martha Washington Stakes in January 2022.

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Later on, she won Grade 3 Honeybee Stakes on the same track. In her career, the filly took part in eighteen races of which she won six races, finished second in five, and claimed third position in three.  She earned $2,444,767 in her career from horse racing. The Hall of Fame trainer who trained the filly who finished fifth at the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Distaff was devastated by the retirement and shared his thoughts on her.

Hall of fame trainer shares his experience

The Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas had a sad man on the day. His trained filly who he was looking to field at Santa Anita next month got injured and was retired. Speaking on the filly he said that she is fine but rather than waiting for her to recover they decided to sell since it was not really workable. She shared that when you lose an equine in this manner it hurts. Lukas remembered his filly as a ” tremendous horse” who was a “picture of consistency“. She performed whenever she was called for. He claimed that horses like her make them get up in the morning every day.

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The news of the retirement of the four-year-old filly is a piece of sad news. As the trainer said she was consistent in her performance and was likely had a great chance at the Breeder’s Cup next month. The horse racing world lost a talented horse.

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Written by:

Saiful Khan

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Saiful is an American Sports writer at Essentially Sports who specializes in Rodeo and equestrian. His passion for sports extends to the field of equestrianism and is fascinated by the speed of horses as he is by the wrath of bull riding. Being an avid sports enthusiast, Saiful is a big admirer of the mastery of British equestrian Charlotte Dujardin.
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Edited by:

Ananya Giri