Celestine sticks around to defend title in Honey Fox

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The richest race on the Florida Derby undercard is the Grade 2, $300,000 Honey Fox Stakes, where Celestine will seek to repeat her 3 1/4-length victory from a year ago in the one-mile turf race for fillies and mares.

Celestine made a smashing 5-year-old debut, wiring the field in the Sand Springs Stakes here on March 4. That was her first start since going through the sales ring last November, being purchased by Moyglare Stud, and being turned over to trainer Christophe Clement.

Clement said he wants to keep Celestine at a mile, which is why he eschewed the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley at Keeneland next month for the Honey Fox. The Jenny Wiley is at 1 1/16 miles.

“I have a question mark at the distance, and you’re not always guaranteed firm turf for the Jenny Wiley,” Clement said. “She’s here, she loves Gulfstream, she has a very good record [4 for 6] at Gulfstream. Let’s not make it complicated.”

Others expected to enter the Honey Fox were Dad’s Princess, Inside Out, Josdesanimaux, Linda, Lori’s Story, and Mississippi Delta.

In other graded stakes action on Saturday’s 14-race card:

◗ Quiet Kitten finished second to Suffused in the Grade 3 The Very One here on March 4, but she won’t meet that rival in the Grade 3, $200,000 Orchid at 1 3/8 miles. She will face a pair of Chad Brown trainees in Goldy Espony and Olorda as well as Maquette, Summersault, and Temple Fur.

◗ Taghleeb, the winner of the H. Allen Jerkens and Grade 3 W.L. McKnight Handicap already at this meet, will seek a hat trick of sorts in the Grade 2, $200,000 Pan American Stakes. He is trained by Mike Maker, who also entered Designed for War. Completing the expected lineup are Mr Maybe, Patterson Cross, Snag, Reporting Star, and Sadler’s Joy.

◗ Delta Prince, a half-brother to champion Royal Delta, will make his stakes debut in the Grade 3, $200,000 Appleton Stakes at a mile. Delta Prince, a son of Street Cry owned by Frank Stronach and trained by Jimmy Jerkens, has won both of his turf starts at this meet, both at the one-mile distance. He will meet a field that includes All Included, Diamond Bachelor, My Point Exactly, Our Way, and Siding Spring.