Lukas expects more from Lemon Muffin in Fantasy Stakes

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas believes there’s more where that came from when it comes to Lemon Muffin.

The talented 3-year-old filly will start as a top contender in the Grade 2, $750,000 Fantasy on Saturday at Oaklawn Park after winning her maiden in last month’s local prep, the Grade 3, $250,000 Honeybee.

“You ain’t seen muffin yet,” quipped Lukas.

Lukas likes how Lemon Muffin is coming up to the Fantasy, a 1 1/16-mile race that offers Kentucky Oaks points on a scale of 100-50-25-15-10. The race is one of four stakes on the Arkansas Derby Day card of 13 races that has a special first post of noon Central. The infield is expected to be open on an afternoon forecast to be clear and in the 70s.

Lemon Muffin is part of a field of 12 that features eight stakes winners. The others are My Mane Squeeze, Midshipman’s Dance, Ba Dee Yah, Recharge, West Omaha, Candy Aisle, and Tapit Jenallie. Lemon Muffin is the lone graded winner in the group, and she leads her Fantasy peers in Kentucky Oaks points, sitting fifth overall ahead of Saturday’s preps.

She earned 50 last out when she sling-shotted through the stretch in the Honeybee, closing for a 3 1/2-length win at 28-1. Lemon Muffin was making her two-turn debut off a runner-up finish in a maiden special weight sprint. Keith Asmussen was aboard and has the mount again Saturday from post 11.

“The last race was not a surprise to me as much as it was to everybody watching,” Lukas said. “She had tipped her hand and I told Keith in the paddock, ‘If you’re in position at the top of the stretch, you’re going to be surprised at the way she finishes.’ He rattled the reins at her and she was gone.”

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It wasn’t the first time Lukas had won a major stakes with a maiden. Lucky Lucky Lucky did so in the 1983 Matron at Belmont, then a Grade 1 stakes on dirt, and the next year won the Kentucky Oaks.

Lukas looks for more from Lemon Muffin off the Honeybee.

“She got a lot out of that,” he said. “She’s much more focused, and we have no excuses. We’ll lead her over there at least confident that we’ll get a good effort.”

West Omaha will be looking to turn the tables on Lemon Muffin. She was third in the Honeybee as the favorite, one start after winning the Silverbulletday at Fair Grounds.

“I thought last time, a couple jumps out of the gate, she got pinched,” trainer Brad Cox said. “She kind of raced in between horses, didn’t really look like she was super comfortable at any point in the race. I thought she ran on really well to get the placing she did. We’re hoping she can get a little cleaner run this time and hopefully, she’ll run a little better.”

Tyler Gaffalione has the mount from post 8.

Trainer Steve Asmussen will counter with the undefeated Recharge, who ran her record to 3 for 3 with her win in last month’s $250,000 Sunland Park Oaks. Recharge is making her graded stakes debut Saturday.

“She’s done everything right,” Asmussen said. “She earned this opportunity.”

Recharge is a half-sister to Finite, a multiple Grade 2 winner of more than $800,000.

Thorpedo Anna is making her first start since running second in the Grade 2 Golden Rod in November at Churchill Downs.

“She has a ton of talent,” trainer Kenny McPeek said. “She had a little bit of hiccup this winter. She had a bruise on her hip back in December that kept her from being able to run earlier in the season.

“This is a filly we felt like was one of our Oaks contenders from the beginning, but she got a little behind the curve. But she’s locked and loaded for this weekend.”

Thorpedo Anna is a daughter of Fast Anna named for a family member of co-owner Mark Edwards, Anna, who is a swimmer and Thorpedo refers to the nickname of Australia’s top-flight Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe.

My Mane Squeeze is moving into open company after winning three straight New York-bred stakes in her last three starts. She also owns the field’s best last-race Beyer Speed Figure, an 89 for her win in the Maddie May at a mile Feb. 18 at Aqueduct. Flavien Prat has the mount for trainer Mike Maker.

The other three-time stakes winner in the field is Sunland Oaks runner-up Candy Aisle.

The maiden Where’s My Ring is in from Santa Anita, where she was second last out in the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel.

Tapit Jenallie was third in the Honeybee. She is a daughter of Tapit and out of a half-sister to champion Take Charge Brandi.

In Just My Heels, who is a daughter of past Fantasy winner High Heels, was cross-entered in a Friday allowance at Oaklawn.

The Fantasy has been elevated from Grade 3 to Grade 2 status for 2024.

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