Honeymoon's shortened distance should benefit Light Won Up; $38,260 pick six carryover

ARCADIA, Calif. – As an early barometer of class and stamina on turf, the Honeymoon’s over.

Since last year, the $100,000 Honeymoon Stakes for 3-year-old turf fillies lost its graded status and a furlong. The race was downgraded from Grade 3 to listed, and its distance shortened from 1 1/8 miles to a mile.

The modified Honeymoon, race 8, attracted 10 entrants Saturday at Santa Anita. The new, shorter distance benefits Light Won Up, even if the stakes winner has never run long.

“It’s always a challenge until you prove that you can do it,” trainer Doug O’Neill said.

“She trains like it’s within her wheelhouse. She’s got such a big heart, she’s such a fighter, and she continues to train well, so we’re optimistic.”

They should be optimistic, because if Light Won Up reproduces her sprint form racing a mile, she will be tough to beat. Her Honeymoon rivals include impressive last-out maiden winner Lookin At Diamond, multiple stakes-placed Wild Like the West, stakes winner Lilo Lil, and four trained by Phil D’Amato: Kintrigue, Inbox, Dreaming of Alys, and Darya.

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Light Won Up is sharp, having finished second by a head last out in the Grade 3 Senorita Stakes, a turf sprint on the hill. That followed a creditable fourth in a stakes race at Keeneland and a decisive hillside stakes victory Feb. 7 in the Sweet Life at Santa Anita. Light Won Up will be racing two turns for the first time Saturday, only because of timing.

“It seems like every time she’s telling us she’s ready to go, these [sprints] have been coming up,” O’Neill said. “She bounced out of her most recent effort in good shape, and this was the logical spot in her own backyard. The extra distance, it’s definitely in her cards pedigree-wise.”

Light Won Up is by City of Light.

Juan Hernandez rides Light Won Up, subbing for regular rider Antonio Fresu, who rides for O’Neill on Saturday at Saratoga. Light Won Up, 2 for 5 and exiting a series of sprints, figures to be forwardly placed in the Honeymoon.

Lookin At Diamond scored a sharp maiden victory last out in just her second start for trainer Leonard Powell and jockey Victor Espinoza. Lookin At Diamond won the turf mile by three lengths over Soul Sister, who returned to win her next start.

Wild Like the West, runner-up her last three starts, including the Providencia Stakes at nine furlongs and the Blue Norther at one mile, shortens back to a mile after missing by a nose to Lilo Lil in the Providencia. Wild Like the West is trained by Richard Baltas; Armando Ayuso rides.

Lilo Lil took advantage of a slow pace (49.11 seconds for the half-mile and 1:14.01 for six furlongs) to upset the Providencia. She is not likely for the same easy trip in the Honeymoon. Michael McCarthy trains Lilo Lil, whose rider is Emisael Jaramillo.

The Honeymoon, race 8, leads to the Grade 2 San Clemente Handicap for 3-year-old fillies at a mile on turf July 18 at Del Mar.

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