While a filly taking on males does not raise eyebrows in Europe, it's a relatively rare occurrence in American racing. Yet conventional wisdom has never limited the thinking of D. Wayne Lukas.
The 86-year-old living legend of U.S. trainers built a Hall of Fame career on taking chances that most of his peers would have avoided like a hornets nest. Especially with the great Thoroughbred fillies that have graced his barn for the last 45 or so years.
"I was thinking that we've sent out fillies against males about seven times with great success in big races," Lukas said. "It goes back to the mother of Storm Cat, Terlingua. We ran her against the boys in her third start (a win in the 1978 Hollywood Juvenile Championship Stakes, G2). We won the Haskell Stakes (G1) with Serena's Song and the Whitney Stakes (G1) with Lady's Secret. We've done OK with that move before."
As impressive as those wins in high-profile battles of the sexes may be, they don't include the crowning achievement. In 1988 Lukas won the Kentucky Derby (G1) with the filly Winning Colors, who was coming off a victory over the guys in the Santa Anita Derby (G1).
Lukas will try to add a second jewel to that feat May 21 when he once again sends out a filly against colts, with Briland Farm's Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Secret Oath tackling eight 3-year-old males in the Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course.
"We waited four or five days after the Kentucky Oaks to make the decision, and she was doing great," Lukas said May 17 while sitting near his Pimlico stalls. "So here we are."
Lukas is "here" with the 9-2 third choice in the middle jewel of the Triple Crown that will be contested without the presence of Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) winner Rich Strike. The homebred daughter of the late Arrogate has already been tested against males, finishing third in the Arkansas Derby (G1) with some excuses, such as being bothered at the start and having to rally six-wide on the final turn.
"That trip in the Arkansas Derby was a tough one," Lukas said. "She should have won that race. That should be on her résumé already."
Should Secret Oath, out of the Quiet American mare Absinthe Minded, win the Preakness, she would become the seventh filly to do that and the second in three runnings after Swiss Skydiver triumphed in 2020. Seven would exceed the combined number of female winners of the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes (G1). Only three apiece have won the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont, and Lukas says it's no mystery why the 1 3/16-mile Preakness has been kinder to the ladies of the sport.
"It's shorter. It's a track that's more glib and speed-oriented and these fillies like it," the six-time Preakness winner said. "But the big thing is you go from a 20-horse field to eight to 12 horses. It's always a smaller field, and because of that, it softens up the race. We never considered the Kentucky Derby for Secret Oath with a 20-horse field. We didn't want to subject her to it."
As much as Winning Colors was built like a colt, Lukas said the size of the filly or mare did not influence his decision to take on the boys.
"It's not physical. My great fillies came in all different sizes. This filly is half as big as Winning Colors. They need a certain level of ability, and each one had a characteristic you like. Secret Oath has a devastating turn of foot. Boom. She's gone."
In deciding on the Preakness for Secret Oath, the fourth foal and first stakes winner for her dam, a number of variables came into play. It starts with the fact that she belongs in the field, as reflected in her morning-line odds off a two-length victory at Churchill Downs in the May 6 Kentucky Oaks.
"I'm a terrible handicapper, but I thought we were competitive here," Lukas said. "I thought (Kentucky Derby runner-up) Epicenter would be favored and he was (at 6-5). The second choice (Early Voting at 7-2), I don't have a feel for, but maybe there was a little East Coast bias there in the odds, and that puts her right there."
Purse money and suitable other options for a 3-year-old filly also factored into targeting the Preakness.
"The Preakness is a grade 1, and the Black-Eyed Susan (G2, for 3-year-old fillies May 20 at Pimlico) really doesn't do much for her résumé, if you want to know the truth. The Acorn Stakes (June 11 at Belmont Park) is a grade 1, but you don't want to cut back to a one-turn mile for it, and the Mother Goose Stakes (June 25 at Belmont) is a grade 2. This is a chance to do something special and step out of the box. The purse obviously entered into it: $250,000 (for the Black-Eyed Susan) compared to $1.65 million for the Preakness with Kenny's money, bless his heart," Lukas said, referring to the $150,000 added to the Preakness purse when trainer Ken McPeek supplemented Creative Minister. "I'll give her (nine) weeks off after this and wait for the Coaching Club Oaks (G1, July 23 at Saratoga Race Course)."
Wherever she goes, Lukas is certain about one thing: the winner of five of eight starts with two third-placed finishes will create a buzz and boost attendance.
"This wouldn't have a lot of pizzazz unless she was here," Lukas said about the Preakness. "Management at Oaklawn Park said she made a 20,000-person difference in attendance for the Arkansas Derby. She has a hell of a fan base."
So does Lukas, whose accomplishments are epic: he's ninth all-time in wins (4,867) and fifth in earnings ($285,878,767); a 1999 Hall of Fame selection; and, owns 14 wins in Triple Crown races. A seventh victory Saturday would match the Preakness record shared by Bob Baffert and R. Wyndham Walden.
Lukas became the oldest trainer to win the Kentucky Oaks two weeks ago when he notched a record-tying fifth victory and is positioned to claim that honor at the Preakness. Art Sherman was 77 when he won the 2014 Preakness with California Chrome .
For a trainer who has often been a lightning rod for controversy because of his willingness to speak his mind, the Kentucky Oaks became a feel good-story when, with some help from a cane, he walked into the winner's circle and flashed a smile as bright as the white cowboy hat he wore.
Yet for Lukas, that memorable moment did not belong to just him.
"I found it to be more rewarding for my clients, Rob and Stacy Mitchell (of Briland Farm). They only breed a few horses," he said. Their lone starter this year under the Briland banner is Secret Oath, and they bred a half sister to her out of Medaglia d'Oro . "They are a mom-and-pop operation. I've been training for them for a long time and to put them in that arena was the more rewarding part of winning the Oaks. I've been there and done that. Hey, it never gets old. I'm not trying to downplay it at all. I glowed in the aftermath of winning the Oaks, but I was happier for them."
Now Lukas is hoping to share even more happiness as he once again sends out a filly eager to show that anything a colt can do, she can do better.
