Division rankings: Secret Oath moves back to the top

The older dirt female division rarely disappoints us. Year in and year out it seems to always be contentious. Each season we see fillies and mares who had the spotlight in this division the previous season return for an encore season.

This differs greatly from their male division counterparts where we see quicker retirements and much less continuity.

This season is no different. All of the major 3-year-old filly stars are back to run at age 4, and we have other major female stars who ran in this division last year back for more. Toss in a few new names and you get the picture: This division looks like it is going to deliver yet again.

Secret Oath and Clairiere fit these above profiles. They battled last weekend at Oaklawn Park with Secret Oath coming out on top and taking over the No. 1 spot in the division – for now.

Before I dive into last weekend's action, let's take a look at this week's updated Division Rankings.

Older dirt males

1. Art Collector. Big winner of the Pegasus World Cup (G1), he is age 6 now and looks to be in career form. Has quietly put together a nice record of 11 wins from 21 starts. Since he has won a Grade 1 event already this season, he resides on top for now.

2. Country Grammer. The Dubai World Cup (G1) winner from last season started 2023 much the same as as 2022, a close runner-up in the Saudi Cup (G1). One thing's for sure, this guy likes running in the desert. Will attempt a repeat win in the Dubai World Cup next week.

3. Stilleto Boy. Has run strong in two starts this season. After a third-place finish in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1), he scored a popular win in a very deep Santa Anita Handicap (G1). Being a gelding, his fan base will grow, and barring injury, he should be around for awhile.

4. Cody's Wish. Came on late at the end of last season, winning the Forego (G1) at Saratoga and the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile by a nose over Cyberknife. He has won four in a row.

5. Taiba. Disappointed in the desert when finishing off the board as the favorite in the Saudi Cup. Bofore that he scored a facile win sprinting in the Malibu (G1) at Santa Anita.
Next 5: Defunded, Endorsed, Rich Strike, Zandon, Proxy.

Older dirt females

1. Secret Oath. Rested and refreshed, this gal looked better than ever in last weekend's Azeri (G2) at Oaklawn with a facile win over Clairiere. Remember, she was atop her division last year for the better part of five months.
2. A Mo Reay. A new player in this division, this daughter of Uncle Mo has certainly matured from age 3 to 4. Last season she was off the board in her only graded-stakes start and had minimal success in listed stakes. This season she is unbeaten in two starts, the Bayakoa (G3) at Oaklawn and the Beholder Mile (G1) by a head last weekend at Santa Anita.

3. Clairiere. Runner-up to Secret Oath in the Azeri, she didn't have a clean trip and certainly lost ground because of it. Will get a chance to avenge this defeat in next month's Apple Blosson (G1).

4. Nest. Overmatched in the Breeders' Cup Distaff when off the board, finishing fourth. But she won a trio of Grade 1 events in 2022 and was crowned with the Eclipse as the top 3-year-old filly. 

5. Search Results. Well beaten in the Breeder's Cup Distaff, she still had a great season, placing in all of her starts but one.

Next 5: Echo Zulu, Society, Matareya, Classy Edition, Fun to Dream.
3-year-old males

1. Forte. Looked very strong in his 3-year-old debut in the Fountain of Youth (G1) at Gulfstream. There doesn't seem to be a chink in his armor at the moment, but is it this easy? Not in my opinion. I think his best distances will be up to nine furlongs, so stretching out to 10 furlongs for races such as the Kentucky Derby would be a question mark for me.
2. Cave Rock. Really no excuses when runner-up to Forte but still had a great campaign. Before the Breeders' Cup, he won by more than five in the American Pharoah (G1) at Santa Anita. Sort of forgotten right now but back working. 3. Arabian Knight. He was dominant last out in the slop at Oaklawn to win the Southwest (G3) but now has been taken out of Kentucky Derby consideration. Still, he resides here for now.

4. Practical Move. The San Felipe (G2) winner was super impressive, but as far as Kentucky Derby contenders go, I will look elsewhere. I can't envision him relishing the 10 furlongs in Louisville given his pedigree. He is now 3-for-6 on his career, never finishing off the board.
5. Tapit Trice. Very interesting addition to these rankings. Was a facile winner of the Tampa Bay Derby (G3), his first stakes start. He is bred to run all day. Looks to me like a Belmont horse, but I think the jury is still out on his Kentucky Derby chances. His next start, which likely will come in the Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland, should tell us much more about this son of Tapit. The arrow is definitely pointing upward.
Next 7: Instant Coffee, National Treasure, Newgate, Reincarnate, Confidence Game, Rocket Can, Red Route One.

3-year-old females

1. Faiza. Unbeaten now in four career starts, she won again last weekend in the Santa Ysabel Stakes (G3). She moves to the top of this division for now based on her two graded-stakes wins already this season.
2. Wonder Wheel. Made her 3-year-old debut in Tampa Bay in the listed Suncoast Stakes and didn't run poorly when finishing a close runner-up to 38-1 long-shot winner Dreaming of Snow. Still, the result was disappointing no matter how you slice it. Super impressive last season at age 2, capping off her championship season in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies after closing strong to win going away. 3. Pretty Mischievous. This filly was impressive in the Rachel Alexandra (G2) and has now won four of her five career starts. Has taken a major step forward from age 2 to 3. 4. Hoosier Philly. Considering the expectations, her third-place finish in the Rachel Alexandra (G2) was a huge disappointment. It wasn't like it was close either; she was beaten over eight lengths. Now that the silly Kentucky Derby talk has been put aside, the connections can try to get her to the Kentucky Oaks (G1) with a fighting chance. 5. And Tell Me Nolies. Made her 3-year-old debut March 5 against Faiza and ran well when runner-up. Remember, this gal won a Grade 1 last season at age 2. Next 5: Wet Paint, Red Carpet Ready, Julia Shining, The Aly's Look, Pride of the Nile.

Turf males

1. Atone. The Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) winner is good enough to vault all the way to this spot for now.

2. Casa Creed. This guy is now a 7-year-old, but he is in the best form of his career. He ran lights out when narrowly missing overseas in Saudi Arabia in the Turf Sprint (G3) and finishing second. The Saudi race was his first start this season.

3. Gold Phoenix. Super impressive last out winning he Kilroe Mile (G1). He has finished off the board only once in 11 career starts and is a major player in this division, in my opinion.

4. Hong Kong Harry. Simply didn't fire in the Kilroe Mile (G1) as the heavy favorite, finishing fourth. Was 5-for-6 last season with three graded-stakes wins. He still should contend in this division.

5. Santin. Won two Grade 1 races in 2022, and that's good enough to place him here for now.

Next 5: Emmanual, Annapolis, Shirl's Speight, Highland Chief, Value Engineering.

Turf females

1. War Like Goddess. Robbed of an Eclipse in 2021, she came very close in 2022 again but Regal Glory was the deserved winner. Back again in 2023, could the third time be the charm? An Eclipse contender again. Should see her back in action in the spring.

2. In Italian. Ran well when runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Before that effort, she scored her second Grade 1 win in a row in the First Lady at Keeneland. Working steadily now for a return.

3. Bleecker Street. Suffered the first loss of her career last time out in the Diana (G1) last summer after starting her career 7-for-7. She put in her run from the back but had too much to do when finishing third. Back in training now and eying a spring comeback.

4. Queen Goddess. The Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf (G3) winner looks to be a serious contender this year in this division. She has won four graded stakes.

5. Shantisara. Looked very good winning the Hillsborough (G2) at Tampa Bay Downs and previous to that she was runner-up to Queen Goddess in the Pegasus. This gal is a Grade 1 winner and a player in this division.

Next 5: Spendarella, Ballet Dancing, Caravel, Faith in Humanity, Quattroelle.

Male sprinters

1. Elite Power. Certainly showed he is the best in the world now sprinting on the dirt. Overpowered the Riyadh Dirt Sprint (G3) field. Will now come back to the states to run in major races and build a nice Eclipse-worthy resume.

2. Cody's Wish. Came on late at the end of last season, winning the Forego (G1) at Saratoga and narrowly winning the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile over Cyberknife.

3. Gunite. Was simply the best of the rest when runner-up to Elite Power in Saudi Arabia. Previously he was a superb winner of his first 2023 start, the King Cotton Stakes at Oaklawn. Will run next in Dubai in the Golden Shaheen (G1).

4. American Theorem. Off the board in the Breeders' Cup Sprint, but he was very good out west in 2022.

5. Repo Rocks. Has won both of his 2023 starts, the Toboggan (G3) and the Stymie, a listed stakes, both at Aqueduct.

Next 5: Spirit of Makena, Laurel River, C Z Rocket, Sibelius, Little Vic.

Strong comeback for Secret Oath

Last year at this time Secret Oath led the 3-year-old filly rankings above. Simply put, she was dominant in her first couple of starts, and it was clear to me that she was the Kentucky Oaks favorite.

After a valiant attempt against males in the Arkansas Derby (G1) that saw her run third, trainer D. Wayne Lukas set course for the Kentucky Oaks. Secret Oath didn’t disappoint as she scored a facile win over a strong field that included eventual Eclipse winner Nest.

After her Oaks win it was decided that she would try males again in the Preakness two weeks later, and she finished fourth. Probably not the greatest of moves considering her previous attempt against males, but life goes on. At the time, Secret Oath had a large lead in her own division and the Preakness experiment could be forgiven. But as it turned out, the Kentucky Oaks was Secret Oath’s last win of 2022.

It wasn’t that Secret Oath was off her game, is was more about the emergence of Nest, a filly she defeated handily in the Kentucky Oaks. Secret Oath finished runner-up to Nest twice in Grade 1 events after the Preakness and in the process lost her division lead – and the Eclipse.

After the Breeders’ Cup she was given a long overdue break and returned last weekend in a tough spot. Clairiere, who starred in this division last season and who battled with eventual Eclipse winner Malathaat on several occasions, also was entered. Remember, Clairiere led this division for several weeks last season after defeating Malathaat twice.

This was no easy comeback spot, but Secret Oath clearly benefited from her break from racing and looked like the Secret Oath we saw last year at this time. Circling the field around the turn, Secret Oath scored a clear win over her new rival, Clairiere. To be fair, Clairiere had a rough trip that certainly cost her some ground, but even with a clear run, I’m not sure she would have beaten Secret Oath on this day.

What does this all mean? Well, it’s early but Secret Oath fired the first salvo in a division that figures to have several contentious matchups. Nest is expected to return to the races along with Search Results. And on the West Coast we have a new name in A Mo Reay, who won the Beholder Mile (G1) last weekend and has the most graded wins of any in this division so far in 2023.

The older dirt female division is back.