Lull holds off Res Ipsa in Honey Fox

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Christophe Clement was happy to see his filly Lull out in front early in the Grade 3 Honey Fox Stakes at Gulfstream Park. He was less than thrilled to see how fast Lull had to go to get there.

“When he went 45 for the half I was worried a little bit,” Clement said after Lull, under Jose Ortiz, had run a half-mile in 45.06 seconds in her first start in four months. “Good horses overcome stuff.”

Lull was good enough to overcome the rapid early pace and hold on to a nose victory over the late-running Res Ipsa to win the $250,000 Honey Fox at Gulfstream Park. It was a half-length back to favored On Leave in third.

The win was the fifth from 13 starts for Lull, a 4-year-old daughter of War Front owned and bred by Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneder.

Clement said he instructed Ortiz to get the lead if possible, otherwise sit second or third behind anticipated speed horses Team of Teams and Conquest Hardcandy. Lull ran an opening quarter in 22.44 seconds and a half in 45.06 while a length or so clear of those two. Lull continued to roll through six furlongs in 1:08.56, and had put away the other early pursuers.

Lull kept going even as Res Ipsa, who was last early, charged down the center of the course under Julien Leparoux. Fortunately, the wire came up before Res Ipsa could get there.

“They said she doesn’t want you to take a hold of her, so let her go,” Ortiz said. “If they go too crazy sit third, but I felt like I could get there and I did get there and she relaxed well for me. I’m just happy she got her head in front at the wire.”

Lull covered the mile in 1:33.14 and returned $8.60.

“I think she’s top class at six, seven-eighths and she’s good enough and generous enough to go a mile on firmer turf,” Clement said.

Clement said the Grade 1 Just a Game at Belmont Park on June 9 is mid-season goal.

Res Ipsa, who hadn’t started since winning a Churchill allowance last October, fell well off the pace before launching an eye-catching move in the stretch.

“I needed another half a jump,” trainer Ian Wilkes said. “She finished last year on a high note, you always want to see them come back with a good effort.”