Gulfstream Park: Centre Court repeats in Honey Fox

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Rusty Arnold said he had some anxious moments after watching defending champion Centre Court break through the starting gate just prior to Saturday’s $200,000 Honey Fox.

“I’ve never, ever had a horse do that and win,” said Arnold.

But Centre Court not only overcame that hiccup just before the start, but a 6 1/2-month layoff, a wide trip, and a furious closing surge from Kitten’s Point before hanging on for a well-deserved nose decision to capture the Grade 2 Honey Fox for the second consecutive year.

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Centre Court went to the sidelines following her eighth-place finish last August at Saratoga in the Grade 2 Ballston Spa when she was found to have a pulled muscle in her back. Arnold did a masterful job training her up to the Honey Fox once she rejoined his stable this winter at Payson Park.

Centre Court settled off a contested early pace in the one-mile Honey Fox while kept within easy striking distance of the leaders by jockey Julien Leparoux. Centre Court swung six wide while rallying into the stretch, overtook Effie Trinket at midstretch, edged clear, then narrowly outlasted the late-charging Kitten’s Point. Kitten's Point trailed the rest of the field for six furlongs, angled out well wide for clearance commencing her bid leaving the final turn, and finished full of run down the center of the course.

Effie Trinket, who set a contested pace, succumbed grudgingly through the final sixteenth to finish another 1 1/2 lengths further back in third. Tapicat, the tepid 5-2 favorite in a field of eight older fillies and mares, finished fifth while never a serious factor.

Centre Court, a homebred daughter of Smart Strike owned by G. Watts Humphrey Jr., paid $8.40 after covering the distance in 1:33.61 over a firm course.

“It was a tough race to come back in but she trained terrific," Arnold said. "That was a big run. She had to come wide and she got a little tired. Those were some really nice fillies chasing her, fillies who had a race. We hadn’t raced since August and had a right to get tired at the end, so I’m very happy with her.”

Arnold said the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley at Keeneland, a race Centre Court also won last year, is the plan for her next start.