The $750,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park on Sunday features a competitive field of 10 3-year-old fillies, headlined by national contenders squaring off against several sharp locals.
The race offers Kentucky Oaks (G1) qualifying points on a sliding scale of 50-25-15-10-5 to the top five finishers. Post time is 5:16 p.m. ET.
Explora, the 7-5 morning-line favorite for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert with jockey Flavien Prat aboard, headlines the group as an Eclipse Award finalist and high-class performer.
The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) runner-up won the Santa Ynez Stakes by 5 ¼ lengths in January at Santa Anita and then ran a strong second, beaten less than two lengths as the favorite in the Las Vírgenes Stakes three weeks ago.
Her tactical style suits Oaklawn’s main track configuration perfectly, and her pedigree plus proven two-turn ability make her the clear class edge.
Taken by the Wind is the undefeated-in-three-starts second choice and a tactical pacesetter/stalker with morning line odds of 5-2. She cleared from the outside to take the Silverbulletday Stakes at the Fair Grounds in January and will likely use her speed to secure a good early position despite the widest draw. Her perfect record and grit under pressure give her every chance to wire or sit on a perfect trip and clinch an Oaks berth with a win.
She is trained by Kenny McPeek and will be ridden by jockey Brian Hernandez, Jr.
Search Party (9-2) is the local star and confirmed pacesetter after a gritty neck victory in the Martha Washington Stakes over this distance and surface on Feb. 6. She dictates or prompts the pace, which is a good asset from her cozy inside-mid post, and she has the proven Oaklawn form (plus trainer Mark Casse’s hot hand) to make the favorites work every step of the way. The Tracy Farmer homebred daughter of Gun Runner will have Cristian Torres in the irons.
Brad Cox sends out Sneaky Good, a promising Into Mischief filly who closed from near last to take the Sandpiper Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs before a third in the Forward Gal Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park last out. The rail draw and Irad Ortiz, Jr. aboard suggest a patient mid-pack or pressing trip, and she has the tactical versatility and upside to crash the exacta at a square price.
Newtown Pike and Knickleandime are the logical closers coming off second- and third-place finishes, respectively, in the Martha Washington. Both project to benefit if the expected speed duel heats up early. Newtown Pike looks like the live longshot to pick up valuable Oaks points with a well-timed rally.
Counting Stars is another Casse runner who was the Martha Washington favorite but was eased, though no reported injury. She has prior stakes placings and figures to be mid-pack; a clean trip could produce a bounce-back effort, though she needs to prove she can handle the distance and competition again.
Take Charge Macy is the rail speed and likely pacesetter or co-leader. She showed early foot in her allowance win last out three weeks ago and could soften the pace for the closers, though she’ll need to improve markedly to factor at the wire.
The two 30-1 longshots round out the field -- Grace Is Free, who has some local wins, including a stakes score in the Mockingbird, and Classic Glide, fifth in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2) at the Fair Grounds last out. Both have limited graded stakes experience and will need a meltdown up front to threaten, but they add to the pace and could produce exotic wagering value in a wide-open scramble.
The Honeybee precedes the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2), which has a post time of 6:23 p.m. Blackout Time is the 8-5 favorite in a field of 10 for the Kentucky Derby (G1) prep worth 50-25-15-10-5 qualifying points to the top five finishers.
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
