Honey Hues scores upset in Mint Julep Stakes

Taking command on the second turn, Honey Hues turned back a stretch bid from I’m Already Sexy to win Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Mint Julep Stakes by three-quarters of a length at Churchill Downs.

Well handled by jockey Jesus Castanon, Honey Hues was rated just off the pace of longshot Maid On a Mission as that one set modest splits of 23.01 and 47.22 seconds in the 1 1/16-mile Mint Julep on the Churchill turf.

Shortly after the half-mile marker, Honey Hues was ready to move, and she accelarated to take the lead with a three-quarter-mile split in 1:11.11. She then maintained a clear advantage, with I’m Already Sexy, who had rallied from a stalking position in third, unable to significantly gain on her in the stretch and settling for second.

The winner, a 5-year-old daughter of Henny Hughes trained by Bernie Flint and owned by LTB Inc. and Miles Childers, ran 1 1/16 miles on a firm turf course in 1.41.75. She paid $29.60.

The pacesetting Maid On a Mission held third while no match for the top two finishers. The favored Miz Ida finished fifth after running into traffic problems in the stretch.