HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Secret Oath has run a pair of knockout races this meet at Oaklawn Park, and Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas is hopeful she’s sitting on another strong performance Saturday in the track’s Grade 3, $300,000 Honeybee. He’s also aware she’s not the only filly in the field who knows how to throw a punch. “It’s a pretty solid bunch,” Lukas said. The Honeybee field of six includes Optionality, a two-time stakes winner, and Free Like a Girl, a five-time stakes winner. Yuugiri is making her first start since running second in the Grade 2 Golden Rod in November at Churchill Downs, while Ice Orchid and Red Queen both come off maiden wins at Oaklawn. The group will meet over 1 1/16 miles, and the first four finishers will earn Kentucky Oaks points on a scale of 50-20-10-5. The Honeybee shares a card with the Grade 2, $1 million Rebel. Secret Oath won the meet’s first Kentucky Oaks prep on Jan. 29, taking the $200,000 Martha Washington by 7 1/4 lengths. She came into the race off an 8 1/4-length allowance victory on Dec. 31. :: Serious horseplayers use serious products. Get DRF's premium past performances, now free for the first time “She has caught the imagination of everybody,” Lukas said. “We as horse people love to see one that’s got that ability to make her own luck in a race. She’s got a high cruising speed. She’s very efficient over the ground. And she’s completely professional. When asked to run, she opens up and extends herself and goes about it very business-like. “At this stage of her life, her 3-year-old year, she’s absolutely impressed me at every stop.” Secret Oath is by Arrogate and out of Absinthe Minded, a multiple stakes winner of more than $600,000. She races for breeders Robert and Stacy Mitchell of Briland Farm. “This is the time of year you want to see them do very well, and a little better, and a little better, and build to that one stakes you’re pointing for, which in our case we’re pointing for the Oaks,” Lukas said. “You like to see that progression. She’s been more focused. She’s putting a little weight on every day. I just think that maturity is coming. I think she’s doing better than before the Martha Washington. We’ll have to see it, but we’re really excited.” Luis Contreras has the mount from post 3. “If at the top of the stretch she’s got them clocked, there’ll be a horse race to the wire,” Lukas said. Yuugiri has been working at Oaklawn. “The filly is doing really good,” trainer Rodolphe Brisset said. “She looks like she’s matured, and we’re pretty happy with where we are coming back. Obviously, it’s a starting point for us for the whole year. “So I will say the first goal is to try to win a graded stakes, a black-type race, with her because the owners also bred her. At the same time, this is a chance to see if she wants to take us to the Oaks or not, between Saturday and the next one after that,” the Fantasy. Yuugiri was beaten a length in the Golden Rod after setting the pace. Secret Oath was fifth after a troubled trip in the Golden Rod, 11 1/4 lengths behind winner Dream Lith. “At the quarter pole, it looked like they were going to go by her and she dug in pretty hard,” Brisset said. “It was a tough beat. At the same time, she showed some fight and we were really pleased with her.” John Velazquez has the mount from post 2 for Tsunebumi and Sekie Yoshihara.