Honeybee top three all progressing toward Kentucky Oaks

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The first three finishers from the Grade 3, $500,000 Honeybee on Sunday at Oaklawn Park all intend to continue down the path toward the Kentucky Oaks, their respective trainers said Tuesday.

Quietside was a one-length winner of the Honeybee after breaking from post 12 and for the effort she picked up 50 points for the Kentucky Oaks. The multiple Grade 1-placed filly races for her breeder, Shortleaf Stable, and leads all of her peers in points with 68.

“She came out of the Honeybee in great shape – beautiful, happy,” trainer John Ortiz said. “She was playing around in her stall the next morning, bright-eyed and as bright as she usually is.”

Ortiz said there are no concrete plans yet for Quietside’s next start, but there is a good chance she could run back at Oaklawn.

“The Fantasy is the most logical place because she’s at home and obviously she can run over this track,” he said.

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The Grade 2, $750,000 race will be run March 29, on the same card as the Arkansas Derby.

Five G ran second in the Honeybee and is fifth on the Oaks points list with 25. She invaded from South Florida off a nine-length win in the Cash Run, a one-turn mile at Gulfstream Park. In the Honeybee, Five G set the pace after breaking from the widest gate, post 13.

“We were very pleased with her,” trainer George Weaver said. “She won very easy at Gulfstream and running two turns on the dirt from the 13-hole in a deep and talented field, we were kind of up against it. And so for us to finish second after letting her run away from the gate as much as she did, I give a lot a credit to the filly. I thought she ran great, considering.”

Weaver said Five G returned to her Palm Beach Downs base Tuesday.

“We’d like to get to the Kentucky Oaks, and there’s several options that can get us some points,” Weaver said. “The Fantasy is one. The Ashland is another one. The Gulfstream Park Oaks is another. We’ll just kind of let the filly tell us where to go, what to do.”

The Grade 1, $750,000 Ashland is April 4 at Keeneland. The Grade 2, $250,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks is March 29.

Five G is a New York-bred daughter of Vekoma who races for her breeder, Gatsas Stables.

“She’s a very good-moving, athletic filly,” Weaver said. “She breezes well, she’s shown us she has talent, and she’s backed it up with some nice performances in the afternoons. So, we’re excited about what she can do for the rest of the year.”

Muhimma, who like Five G has 25 points for the Kentucky Oaks, finished third in the Honeybee. She was the 4-5 favorite as the unbeaten winner of the Grade 2 Demoiselle. Muhimma was making her 3-year-old debut Sunday.

“First run of the year, it was a starting point,” trainer Brad Cox said. “We would have liked to have won. Hopefully, we can look back and think she needed the race. She was training really well leading up to it. I don’t think I would have changed anything in regard to her preparation for the race, just didn’t get to the wire first. We’ll regroup and start preparing for the Ashland.”

Cox said Muhimma was scheduled to ship Wednesday to Fair Grounds. She races for Shadwell Stable.

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