Honey Pants should enjoy drop from stakes to allowance

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – While the majority of Northern horsemen stabled here this winter have packed up and headed home, not all have abandoned ship entirely just yet. The list of those still racing here includes Christophe Clement, who will drop Honey Pants into allowance company as the likely favorite in Thursday’s $47,000 main event, carded for 3-year-old fillies at a mile on turf.

Honey Pants has finished second in stakes twice in her five-race career, in the six-furlong Stewart Manor in her 2-year-old finale last fall on the turf at Aqueduct and the one-mile Ginger Brew as the 3-2 favorite on turf here Jan. 2.

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In her most recent try, Honey Pants finished fifth after encountering traffic difficulties in the Grade 3 Sweetest Chant here Jan. 30.

Joe Bravo will pick up the mount aboard Honey Pants, who races with Lasix for the first time Thursday.

Only five others signed on for the headliner, with Por Que No perhaps the main threat. Por Que No is undefeated in three starts at 3, winning her maiden under a $35,000 claiming tag Jan. 15 before adding a pair of starter-allowance victories, with the most recent going 1 1/16 miles as the even-money choice.

Sweet Pearl is the only other multiple winner in the field, which includes Flight to Shanghai off a seventh-place finish in the Grade 3 Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs, Woodbine maiden winner Mrs Frankel, Sweet Pearl, and Orbs Baby Girl.

◗ Romero Maragh, who began his career locally three years ago, is back in town for the meet and was back in the winner’s circle Saturday after guiding Cuy to victory in the opener. Juan Carlos Diaz Jr. and Chantal Sutherland, who also had ridden here in years past, notched victories over the weekend. Diaz won aboard Uncork the Bottle for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. in Saturday’s third race, and Sutherland won with Mona Stella for Patrick Biancone in Sunday’s sixth race.

◗ Monday marked the final day of training in the history of the old Calder Race Course (renamed Gulfstream Park West), which is closing its doors after serving the local circuit for the past 50-plus years. Approximately 400 horses were stabled at the old Calder this winter, the majority of whom will be moved to either Gulfstream Park or Palm Meadows by the end of the week.