Jockey Geovanni Franco had the opportunity to compete on the morning of March 17 at Oaklawn Parkwind Secret Vow for the men’s scheduled kickoff match in the April 2nd Arkansas (G1) Derby of $1.25 million and another potential kick-off in the Call me Jamal .
One trip is significantly faster than the other.
Honeybee Stakes (G3) Secret Oath winner scored a five-feathered bullet at: 59.40 shortly after the track opened at 7 a.m. for Hall of Fame coach D. Wayne Lukas and Briland Ranch by breeders/owners Robert and Stacy Mitchell. The surface is rated as fast.
The watchers who caught Secret Oath included her first 1/8 mile in: 12, a quarter mile in: 23.80 and three furlongs in: 36 before galloping out six furlongs in 1: 12.40. This is the fastest of 34 works registered at five companies. It also marked Franco’s first time in Secret Oath, who beat her in three starts at the meeting, including two stakes, for a total of 23 lengths. She is expected to face the men for the first time in the 1/8 mile Arkansas Derby.
Secret Oath galloping after hot 5th floor activity at: 59.40 shortly after the track opened on Thursday morning @OaklawnRacing for HOF coach D. Wayne Lukas & @BrilandFarm. Split: 23.80, :36.20 & out 6F in 1:12.60. pic.twitter.com/BGXRndPT9a
– Robert Yates (@RobertYates1982) March 17, 2022
“It’s dirty, it’s a running machine,” Franco said shortly after speaking to Call Me Jamal for coach Michael Puhich. “She’s been amazing. It’s been a great experience for me. I’m the driver for Lukas and I’ll do it again if he needs me. She feels good. It’s a good feeling, friend.”
Franco, who has returned to Oaklawn this season after a four-year absence, is represented by agent Gary Stevens, retired Hall of Fame driver and Lukas’ close friend. As a coach and jockey, they teamed up to win the 1985 Arkansas Derby with the Tank Prospects and the 1988 Kentucky Derby with a different colour, Victory. .
Lukas pats Franco to show off Secret Oath because her regular driver, Luis Contreras, is out of town.
Guys be careful! Secret Oath makes the announcement that she will be on top of her game in the $1.25 million (G1) Arkansas Derby (G1) on April 2 with an impressive 5f workout on: 59 2 /5 a.m. Thursday at dawn. pic.twitter.com/89cL26IViM
– Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort (@OaklawnRacing) March 17, 2022
“Luis went home for a few days to be with his family and I knew he would be sick of me working with her without him,” Lukas said about 90 minutes after the Secret Oath piece. “But with that said the day has come and I thought he would come back, but he didn’t get in until 10 am this morning. Geovanni did a great job. He did a great job. He filled in. I said to Franco, I said: ‘Luis owes you one now.’ ”
The five-feather drill marks the second entry for the Oath of Secrets since her 7 1/2-long win in Honeybee on February 26. The late Arrogate’s daughter has earned a spot in the competition. Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) May 6, topped the Oaks leaderboard with a total score of 60.
Secret Oath had been a contender for Oaklawn’s final Kentucky Oaks prep, $600,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) on April 2, before Lukas opted for the Arkansas Derby.
Lukas said Thursday’s breeze will be the most taxing for the Vow of Secrets leading up to the Arkansas Derby. She worked half a mile in: 48.40 March 8 and is scheduled to have her final showdown before the race on March 25.
“Slightly sharper than the next one,” Lukas said. “We let her finish a bit. I think she went into her final quarter at age: 23 and changed, so you know we saw her skip there. But she did. It’s a really solid job. These are measurements of where you are and it’s a measuring stick. These things work. We’re not interested in adjustments at the moment. I’m trying to figure out how responsive we got to her and everything shows up that way. So for now we just have to keep her happy.”
Call Me Jamal enters a subsidized option title race in Oaklawn . Park
About two hours after the start of the Oath of Secrets, and shortly after a reclamation vacation, Franco climbed aboard the Call Me Jamal to work on a five-part piece. Like Secret Oath, Call Me Jamal by himself crosses and crosses the gap in 1:1. The watchers caught Mark DeDomenico’s Call Me Jamal, a beloved son of Malibu Moon, at: 37.40 because he unfurled three feathers and hurled six feathers in 1:14 .
“I think he continues to improve and today I feel he did a good job,” Franco said, on board for both gelding wins at the meeting. “Hopefully he doesn’t stop improving and keeps opening his heart.”
Call Me Jamal’s two 1/1/16 mile wins at Oaklawn included a high entrance allowance score on February 26. Coach Mike Puhich said shortly after the job that Call Me Jamal was still being considered. for the Arkansas Derby and Toyota Blue April 9 Co Co (G1) at Keeneland.
“I’m leaving the door open both ways, but maybe I’m leaning more here,” said Puhich. “Blue Grass will go up just as hard. I think Lukas’ filly is the best 3-year-old I’ve seen running all year, in my opinion, from a fan’s point of view.”
Puhich said he is pleased with the work of Call Me Jamal, which marks his second since winning the grant. Call Me Jamal broke his maidenhood on December 18. Third place finisher from that race, who was trained by Lukas The path of purity returned to break her maidenhood in eye-catching fashion on January 29 and finished second, beaten half-length Un Ojo during Rebel Staking February 26 (G2).
Lukas reported that the Path of Purity is showing Green Grass.
“He did everything we asked for,” Puhich said. “He did a great job. I just told him (Franco) to let him work on his own in the first part, then gallop. If he likes the way he feels, let him finish. a little bit. Everything is perfect. If we stay here, there’s always a chance we can beat Lukas. But I won’t be able to beat him.”
Nominations for the Arkansas Derby close on Friday, with posting positions to be drawn on March 27. The Arkansas Derby will offer 170 points (100-40-20-10 respectively) for four top finishers to qualify for the start of the Kentucky Derby, which is a 20-boot limit.
The Arkansas Derby continues to take shape, with Secret Oath, Un Ojo, Haircut line , Chasing time , We who and Cyberknife of those expected to start.
