Cosmic Burst earns 50 Kentucky Oaks points with Honeybee

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Cosmic Burst picked up 50 qualifying points for the Kentucky Oaks on Saturday when she ran down Amy’s Challenge for a 1 3/4-length victory in the Grade 3, $200,000 Honeybee at Oaklawn.

The race was one of two stakes on the card, with Whitmore winning his first start of the year in the $125,000 Hot Springs Stakes. The estimated ontrack attendance was 17,000.

Cosmic Burst ($10.80) stalked the pace along the rail in the Honeybee, as Amy’s Challenge was up by three lengths through an opening quarter in 23.27 seconds, and stretched her advantage to eight lengths through a half-mile in 46.02 and six furlongs in 1:10.27. The leader continued on in the stretch, as Cosmic Burst worked to find racing room, angled out and got past Amy’s Challenge nearing the wire.

The winner covered the 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:44.19.

It was the first career defeat in four starts for Amy’s Challenge.

“You don’t know if you’re going to get by her or not,” said Donnie Von Hemel, who trains Cosmic Burst. “You could see we were closing, but are we going to get there in time? In the end, she was a clear winner.”

Amy’s Challenge was making her two-turn debut after winning her debut and a stakes over males last year at Canterbury, then the Dixie Belle in January at Oaklawn.

“I was proud of her effort,” said Mac Robertson, who trains Amy’s Challenge. “She ran a really brave race. She came back a little tired – 46 and 1:10 and 1 – that’s taxing. She got a little excited before the race. It was her first time in front of the grandstand, in front of the people. I think she maybe got a little too sharp.”

Cosmic Burst won the second stakes race of her career, behind the $100,000 Trapeze in December at Remington Park. She came into the Honeybee off a third-place finish in last month’s Martha Washington at Oaklawn, a race in which she had a less-than-ideal trip. Cosmic Burst hopped out of the gate, raced over a wet track for the first time, and had trouble in the first turn.

“Those were three problems we had last time that we didn’t have today,” he said.

Cosmic Burst is a daughter of Violence who races for Norma Lee Stockseth and Todd Dunn. Von Hemel said she could run back in the Grade 3, $400,000 Fantasy on April 13 at Oaklawn.

“We’re at Oaklawn,” he said. “If we can get her ready for the Fantasy, I know Norma Lee would love to be able to compete in that race, and past that, we’ll just have to see where she takes us.”

Cosmic Burst has a total of 52 eligibility points for the Kentucky Oaks to rank fourth on the leaderboard administered by Churchill Downs. Amy’s Challenge picked up 20 points Saturday, while Sassy Sienna, who was third in the Honeybee, earned 10. Red Ruby, the favorite in the Honeybee, finished fourth and earned five points to go with the 10 she picked up last month for her victory in the Martha Washington.
Robertson said Amy’s Challenge would be considered for the Fantasy.

Cosmic Burst earned $120,000 for her win in the Honeybee to push her career bankroll to $267,080. She has now won four of six starts.

Cosmic Burst also gave Von Hemel his third win in the Honeybee behind Bedanken in 2002 and Yoursmineours in 2004.