Haulin Ice, Hush It Honey meet for first time in Rainbow Miss

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Haulin Ice and Hush It Honey have emerged as Arkansas-bred fillies of significance this meet at Oaklawn Park. The pair will meet for the first time Saturday in the $150,000 Rainbow Miss.

The race shares a card with the $150,000 Rainbow that drew the promising runners Twenty to Park and Landlord. Both six-furlong stakes are restricted to 3-year-olds bred in Arkansas.

The Rainbow Miss drew a field of eight. Haulin Ice has developed over the course of the meet, running second against males in her debut Jan. 26. She then came back and won a maiden special weight Feb. 24 and entry-level allowance March 16 – both against fillies and mares bred in Arkansas.

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“She ran a big race first time out, after we hadn’t trained much for two or three weeks because of the weather,” said Lindsay Schultz, who trains Haulin Ice for J & J Thoroughbreds. “So, we were thrilled with that.”

Schultz said she was able to get two works into Haulin Ice for her next start. The filly responded with a six-length maiden win.

“She opened up on them and did it so easily,” Schultz said. “It was visually impressive.”

From there, Haulin Ice met winners and proved 1 1/4 lengths best under regular rider Nik Juarez. She set a quicker pace than her maiden race, while covering six furlongs in a sharp 1:10.84. The Beyer Speed Figure of 81 that Haulin Ice earned is the best career number in the Rainbow Miss.

“There were a couple of tougher horses in there and she had to go a little bit faster, but every time Nik asked her she had more,” Schultz said. “I asked him if she had more left, and he said, ‘Oh definitely.’ She’s a pretty special, fast filly.”

Juarez is at Keeneland on Saturday to ride Seize the Grey in the Grade 1 Blue Grass, so Francisco Arrieta will be aboard Haulin Ice. The filly has a chance to control the pace when she breaks from post 6.

“I think naturally, she’ll be there, but if it doesn’t set up, she’s passed horses in works before,” Schultz said.

Hush It Honey, who also has speed, is moving into the Arkansas-bred ranks for the first time after registering her three wins against open foes. The starts of late have come against straight 3-year-olds and for a $50,000 starter allowance win last out she earned a Beyer of 80. Rafael Bejarano has the mount for trainer Randy Morse.

Twenty to Park leads Rainbow

Twenty to Park might be tough to handle if he runs back to the Beyer of 85 he earned winning his debut by nine lengths in January. He’s since run fourth, then third, in allowance races at Oaklawn.

“We’re adding blinkers,” said Oaklawn leading owner Staton Flurry. “Hopefully, he can break a little sharper and be right with them.

“The last two starts have been a little disappointing after his debut, but we’re getting him back against 3-year-olds. His works have [always] been just super impressive, so hopefully he can carry over his mornings to the afternoon again.”

Arrieta has the mount for trainer Matt Shirer.

Landlord, a chief contender, won his debut last out with a Beyer of 71.

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