Could Secret Oath become the first filly to compete in the Kentucky Derby since 2010?

Not since Devil May Care in 2010 has a filly competed in the Kentucky Derby.

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas may have the one to end that streak this year.

Secret Oath already has secured a spot in the Kentucky Oaks on May 6 at Churchill Downs but could be pointed toward the Kentucky Derby on May 7 depending on her performance in Saturday’s Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park.

Secret Oath is the 5-2 morning-line favorite for the Arkansas Derby, which will offer the winner 100 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby, virtually assuring a spot in the race.

Co-owners Robert and Stacy Mitchell of Briland Farm could not be reached for comment, but Lukas hinted the Kentucky Derby is at least on their radar.

2022 Kentucky Derby: A look at who's in the field and who's on the bubble

“The Oaks is still very much right in the middle of our thinking, except the owners did mention the Derby two or three times since then,” Lukas said. “I don’t know where they’re headed, but the five weeks (between the Arkansas Derby and Kentucky Derby) is terrific.”

A total of 40 fillies have competed in the Kentucky Derby, with three winning — Regret (1915), Genuine Risk (1980) and the Lukas-trained Winning Colors (1988).

Lukas also won the 1984 Arkansas Derby with another filly, Althea. She went on to finish 19th in the Kentucky Derby.

Whether Secret Oath can become a viable Kentucky Derby contender remains to be seen, but Lukas has reason for hope. A daughter of Arrogate, Secret Oath has won three straight races at Oaklawn by a combined 23 lengths. Her most recent score was a 7 ½-length romp in the Grade 3 Honeybee on Feb. 26.

“The efficiency of motion is good,” Lukas said. “She places herself in the race. I would say the thing that’s probably the biggest concern would be a traffic problem. She’s very rangy and tall. I don’t know about starting and stopping. In the Honeybee, they shut her down, then just ‘Boom!’ She amazed me that when she dove into the rail (turning for home), she just (took off).”

Secret Oath is the favorite in a tough field of nine contenders for the Arkansas Derby.

Doppelganger — the 3-1 second choice — was transferred last week from the barn of trainer Bob Baffert to Tim Yakteen. Baffert’s horses are currently ineligible for the Kentucky Derby because of his two-year suspension at Churchill Downs.

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Doppelganger, a son of Into Mischief, was the runner-up to Forbidden Kingdom in the Grade 2 San Felipe on March 5 at Santa Anita Park.

We the People, trained by Rodolphe Brisset, is 7-2 in the morning line and is undefeated in two career starts, both at Oaklawn.

“When you’re 2 for 2 at the beginning of April at 3 years old, of course, we think he could be the real deal,” Brisset said. “But we still have to show it. I think the talent is there.”

Also in the field will be four of the top five finishers from the Grade 2 Rebel on Feb. 26 at Oaklawn — winner Un Ojo (6-1 odds), third-place Barber Road (8-1), fourth-place Kavod (15-1) and fifth-place Chasing Time (12-1).

Arkansas Derby

Post time: 7:35 p.m. Saturday at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark. Purse: $1.25 million. Grade: 1. Distance: 1 1/8 miles. TV: TVG and FS1. Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 100 for first place, 40 for second place, 20 for third place, 10 for fourth place.

PP Horse, jockey, trainer, odds

1. Kavod, Mitchell Murrill, Chris Hartman, 15-1

2. Chasing Time, Jose Lezcano, Steve Asmussen, 12-1

3. Barber Road, Reylu Gutierrez, John Ortiz, 8-1

4. Doppelganger, John Velazquez, Tim Yakteen, 3-1

5. Un Ojo, Ramon Vazquez, Ricky Courville, 6-1

6. Secret Oath, Luis Contreras, D. Wayne Lukas, 5-2

7. Ben Diesel, Jon Court, Dallas Stewart, 15-1

8. Cyberknife, Florent Geroux, Brad Cox, 8-1

9. We the People, Flavien Prat, Rodolphe Brisset, 7-2

Simplification leads Florida Derby field

Simplification, trained by Antonio Sano, is the 5-2 morning-line favorite for Saturday’s $1 million, Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park. The Florida Derby will offer 170 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby, with 100 going to the winner.

Simplification, a son of Not This Time, won the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth on March 5 at Gulfstream and already has enough points to qualify for the Kentucky Derby.

“My house is Gulfstream,” Sano said. “I’d be happy to win this race in my house.”

Simplification’s top challengers will include White Abarrio (3-1 odds), Classic Causeway (7-2) and Charge It (7-2).

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White Abarrio, trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., beat Simplification by 4 ½ lengths on Feb. 5 in the Grade 3 Holy Bull at Gulfstream but did not run in the Fountain of Youth. White Abarrio spiked a fever last week, forcing Joseph to alter his training schedule.

“All his works had gotten better and better, but things never seem to go the way you want them to and we got a curveball thrown at us,” Joseph said. “We’ll hope he shows up in the race. If he does, I think he’s as good as any of the horses.”

Classic Causeway, trained by Brian Lynch, won the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby on March 12. Charge It, trained by Todd Pletcher, will be making his stakes debut after an 8 1/2-length score on Feb. 12 at Gulfstream.

Florida Derby

Post time: 6:38 p.m. Saturday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. Purse: $1 million. Grade: 1. Distance: 1 1/8 miles. TV: TVG and CNBC. Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 100 for first place, 40 for second place, 20 for third place, 10 for fourth place.

PP Horse, jockey, trainer, odds

1. Strike Hard, Junior Alvarado, Matthew Williams, 20-1

2. Classic Causeway, Irad Ortiz Jr., Brian Lynch, 7-2

3. Simplification, Jose Ortiz, Antonio Sano, 5-2

4. King of Truth, Jose Morelos, Amador Sanchez, 50-1

5. Pappacap, Edwin Gonzalez, Mark Casse, 10-1

6. Charge It, Luis Saez, Todd Pletcher, 7-2

7. White Abarrio, Tyler Gaffalione, Saffie Joseph Jr., 3-1

8. Cajun’s Magic, Jesus Rios, Michael Yates, 30-1

9. O Captain, Joel Rosario, Gustavo Delgado, 20-1

10. Clapton, Emisael Jaramillo, Juan Alvarado, 30-1

11. Steal Sunshine, Leonel Reyes, Bobby Dibona, 30-1

Tiz the Bomb heads Jeff Ruby Steaks

Tiz the Bomb is the 2-1 morning-line favorite for Saturday’s $600,000, Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park. The Jeff Ruby rewards a total of 170 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby, with 100 going to the winner.

Tiz the Bomb, trained by Kenny McPeek, is 4-1-0 in seven career starts and most recently won the John Battaglia Memorial on March 5 at Turfway. That followed a disappointing seventh-place finish in the Grade 3 Holy Bull on Feb. 5 at Gulfstream Park.

Stolen Base, trained by Mike Maker, is the 7-2 second choice in the morning line. He finished second in the Battaglia, a neck behind Tiz the Bomb.

Jeff Ruby Steaks

Post time: 6:23 p.m. Saturday at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky. Purse: $600,000. Grade: 3. Distance: 1 1/8 miles. TV: TVG. Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 100 for first place, 40 for second place, 20 for third place, 10 for fourth place.

PP Horse, jockey, trainer, odds

1. Royal Spirit, Chris Landeros, Todd Pletcher, 10-1

2. Stolen Base, Gerardo Corrales, Mike Maker, 7-2

3. Capo Spirit, Joe Bravo, George Papaprodromou, 12-1

4. Rich Strike, Sonny Leon, Eric Reed, 20-1

5. Tawny Port, Manuel Franco, Brad Cox, 6-1

6. Great Escape, Adam Beschizza, Rodolphe Brisset, 15-1

7. Tiz the Bomb, Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek, 2-1

8. Red Run, Joe Talamo, Steve Asmussen, 6-1

9. Dowagiac Chief, James Graham, Tom Amoss, 8-1

10. Optigogo, Rafael Bejarano, Eoin Harty, 30-1

11. Constitutionlawyer, Jalon Samuel, Raymond Handal, 50-1

12. Blackadder, Edwin Maldonado, Rodolphe Brisset, 15-1

AE-13. Swing Shift, Gerardo Corrales, Todd Pletcher, 15-1

Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @KentuckyDerbyCJ.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Will a filly race in the 2022 Kentucky Derby? Secret Oath has chance