All signs point to 'Honey'

ARCADIA, Calif. - Honeypenny has already won after a lengthy layoff, and she has won on the downhill turf course. In Friday's featured allowance race at Santa Anita, she combines those two strengths, as she returns from a three-month vacation to head a downhill turf sprint.

Only five were entered in the feature, and because of the small field, the race will be kept out of the pick six. It will be run as the second race on an eight-race card. Post time is 1 p.m.

won her first start in this country in January 2003. She has won just once in seven tries since then, but it was over Santa Anita's unique 6 1/2-furlong turf course during the Oak Tree meeting, when she won a first-level allowance race Oct. 5. Gary Stevens rode her that day, and he is back aboard Friday.

Honeypenny was third Oct. 29 in a second-level allowance sprint - the same conditions as Friday's race - before finishing fifth in a one-mile grass race at Hollywood Park on Dec. 13.

She has been freshened since then by trainer Julio Canani, who was happy to see an abundance of speed in the line-up.

"All that speed is good for me," Canani said. "She should be last early. I like all that speed in there."

is also making her first start since Dec. 13. After winning consecutive starts last summer, she was second in three straight second-level allowance races going long on the dirt. This will be her first time on the turf.

Goldy Rock is also making her first start on turf and should pose an elusive target. Goldy Rock was second in the Richmond Handicap at Golden Gate Fields in her last start. She won her two prior races.

Splendeur is winless in seven starts since scoring in her United States debut in February 2003. All of her recent races have been at 1 1/16 miles or farther. She needs to show more speed.

Tamweel, an import from Great Britain, won her last two starts overseas - a maiden race and then a handicap - before being purchased privately. She was on or near the lead in her races in Great Britain and figures to press the pace Friday.

In the day's seventh race, a one-mile turf race for $80,000 claimers. Captain Squire, one of this circuit's top sprinters last year, is dropping into a claiming race after disappointing efforts in the Palos Verdes Handicap and San Carlos Handicap. He was sixth and last in the Citation Handicap at Hollywood Park when he last competed on turf.