McPeek has promising pair in Honeybee

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Trainer Ken McPeek has guided the careers of some top class 3-year-old fillies, such as Take Charge Lady, Daddys Lil Darling, and Eskimo Kisses.

The barn’s latest group of young prospects includes the promising Motu and Back in Charge, with both looking to advance on the road to the Kentucky Oaks when they invade Oaklawn Park on Saturday for the Grade 3, $300,000 Honeybee.

The 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-old fillies will reward its first four finishers with Kentucky Oaks points on a scale of 50-20-10-5. The Honeybee shares a card with the $150,000 Hot Springs Stakes, and Oaklawn is scheduled to open its infield for the program as ontrack patrons will be treated to a food truck festival.

The McPeek runners are part of a nine-horse Honeybee that includes Alta’s Award, a winner of back-to-back routes at Fair Grounds for trainer Steve Asmussen, and Ring Leader, the undefeated winner of the Dixie Belle at Oaklawn who is making her two-turn debut for trainer Mac Robertson.

Motu closed from next to last for second in the Grade 2 Golden Rod at Churchill Downs in November. She was beaten just three-quarters of a length by Finite, who won the 1 1/16-mile race as part of a current streak of five wins that includes this year’s Silverbulletday and Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra, both at Fair Grounds.

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“It was a good finish for us, and of course Finite has gone on to continue to win,” McPeek said. “Getting to the Oaks is the ultimate goal, and another good race, I think we’ll be pointing there in pretty good shape. She’s a really good filly.”

Motu, who earned the field’s best career Beyer Figure, an 80, in the Golden Rod, has made one start since, running third in the $100,000 Suncoast at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 8.

“First race back, she got a little tired over the Tampa track,” McPeek said. “I expect her to improve off that.”

Motu won a maiden special weight in October at Keeneland before running second in both a first-level allowance route and the Golden Rod. She is a daughter of Paynter and she has been prepping for the Honeybee at Summerfield Training Center, a facility in Summerfield, Fla., near Ocala, that McPeek purchased last fall.

Brian Hernandez Jr. has the mount on Motu from the rail. The filly races for Susan Moulton, David Bernsen, and Magdalena Racing.

Back in Charge won her career debut last out, in a maiden special weight Feb. 9 at Gulfstream Park.

“She’s her father’s daughter,” McPeek said. “She’s the spitting image of Will Take Charge.

“I thought it was an impressive move for her to win first time out in a one-turn mile. It showed how much class and raw talent she has. Two turns behooves her well. I think that’s where her future lies.”

Ramon Vazquez has the mount from post 6 for C & H Diamond Racing.

Ring Leader has won all three of her starts, including two races this meet at Oaklawn. She is the lone stakes winner in the field by virtue of her local victory in the Dixie Belle. She gets pedigree support for the move to two turns as the daughter of Haskell winner Paynter. David Cohen has the mount from post 4 for Novogratz Racing Stable.