Honeymoon gives turf course a fitting send-off
ARCADIA, Calif. – When the Honeymoon’s over, so is grass racing in Southern California.
The Grade 2 Honeymoon Stakes on Sunday at Santa Anita is the final turf race of the spring, though the meet runs through July 10. The Santa Anita turf course is being replaced; the final three weeks at Santa Anita are all dirt. The next grass race in Southern California is on opening day at Del Mar on July 15.
The old Santa Anita course is going out in style. The Honeymoon, for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles, drew a deep field of 10 with at least four top contenders: Stays in Vegas, a Grade 3 winner; Lady Valeur, a sharp filly with two wins at the Honeymoon distance; Decked Out, a Grade 3 winner; and Be Mine, a Grade 3 runner-up.
The field includes likely pacesetter Where’s the D, Gone to Bali, Cheekaboo, Jeremy’s Legacy, How Unusual, and Sutton’s Smile. The Honeymoon is race 8 on a nine-race card that starts early. First post Sunday is noon Pacific due to a forecast of extreme heat.
KEY CONTENDERS
Stays in Vegas, by City Zip
Last 3 Beyers: 89-72-80
◗ What happens on turf stays on turf. Stays in Vegas is 3 for 3 on grass, including a win in the Grade 3, one-mile Senorita Stakes last month. That was her first start in five months.
◗ Jerry Hollendorfer trains Stays in Vegas, whose rider is Alex Solis.
◗ She has won 5 of 7 starts and earned $295,600.
◗ Stays in Vegas has a pressing style that should lead to another good trip on or near the lead.
Lady Valeur, by Multiplex
Last 3 Beyers: 85-83-83
◗ She has won 2 of 3 at the Honeymoon distance of 1 1/8 miles.
◗ Paddy Gallagher trains Lady Valeur, whose rider is Rafael Bejarano. Gallagher and Bejarano teamed last Sunday to win the Possibly Perfect Stakes with Evo Campo.
◗ Lady Valeur has 2 wins and 3 seconds from 5 starts; she has earned $100,888.
Decked Out, by Street Boss
Last 3 Beyers: 86-91-81
◗ A deep closer, Decked Out scored her career-best victory two starts back at the 1 1/8-mile Honeymoon distance. That race was run over a yielding course. She subsequently regressed on firm turf, finishing fourth in the Senorita, won by Stays in Vegas.
◗ Keith Desormeaux trains Decked Out, reunited with regular rider Kent Desormeaux.
Be Mine, by Twirling Candy
Last 3 Beyers: 88-86-60
◗ The least-experienced filly in the field with three starts, she established her class last out by finishing second in the Senorita, a head behind Stays in Vegas.
◗ Prior to the Senorita, Be Mine won a maiden-claiming turf route at Tampa Bay Downs and a starter allowance at Santa Anita by more than five lengths.
◗ Be Mine will be ridden by the meet’s leading turf jockey, Flavien Prat; the filly’s trainer is meet leader Phil D’Amato.
Where’s the D
Last 3 Beyers: 84-0-73
◗ The likely pacesetter, Where’s the D scored a pace-pressing turf-sprint win last month in an allowance race against older while starting for the first time seven months.
◗ She is owned by Paul Reddam and a partnership that includes Erik Johnson, a defenseman for the Colorado Avalanche. Hence the name, Where’s the D.
◗ Doug O’Neill trains Where’s the D, whose rider is Mario Gutierrez.