Nickname looks imposing in Honeybee
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Nickname might take some beating Saturday in the Grade 3, $200,000 Honeybee for 3-year-old fillies at Oaklawn Park. She will be making her second start since a Breeders’ Cup run-in with Songbird. She has a race over the track. And she worked six furlongs in 1:11.80 at Fair Grounds since being edged locally in last month’s Martha Washington Stakes.
“The race woke her up, and she’s given us all indications that she is better than ever,” said Steve Asmussen, who trains the Grade 1 winner for LNJ Foxwoods.
The Honeybee, at 1 1/16 miles, drew a field of six, including Marquee Miss, the Martha Washington winner who’s going for her third straight stakes win at the meet, and Cosmic Evolution, the winner of last year’s Debutante at Churchill Downs.
The first four finishers will earn Kentucky Oaks qualifying points on a sliding scale of 50-20-10-5.
KEY CONTENDERS
Nickname, by Scat Daddy
Last 3 Beyers: 78-84-78
◗ She is an individual betting interest in the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager, which is open through Sunday, along with fellow Honeybee entrants Marquee Miss and Terra Promessa.
◗ Nickname followed up her Frizette Stakes win last year at Belmont with a fourth-place effort in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Oct. 31. She then launched her 3-year-old season Feb. 6 with a runner-up finish in the Martha Washington. Asmussen looks for her to move forward Saturday.
“She’s just a big mare, needs a lot, and I love how she’s trained since,” he said. “So, I expect the same thing from her as her first lifetime race to her second race – a jump forward.”
◗ Corey Nakatani has the mount from post 4.
Marquee Miss, by Cowboy Cal
Last 3 Beyers: 79-70-59
◗ She registered her three wins in stakes, starting with the Arlington-Washington Lassie in her debut last August at Arlington Park and continuing with the Dixie Miss and Martha Washington at Oaklawn.
◗ Trainer Ingrid Mason has said she would not run Marquee Miss on a wet track as the filly has proven she does not handle the going. Oaklawn canceled racing Thursday after reporting that five inches of rain left the surface saturated, and there was more rain in the forecast for Saturday.
◗ Channing Hill has the mount for Rags Racing Stable.
Cosmic Evolution, by Proud Citizen
Last 3 Beyers: 68-62-59
◗ She gets her first shot at two turns after starting her 3-year-old season with a first-level allowance sprint win Feb. 6 at Oaklawn. Since then, she worked six furlongs in 1:12.80 on a sealed track rated “good” on March 2 at Oaklawn. Jim Hamilton, the track’s head clocker, had her final quarter-mile in 22.60 seconds under regular rider Calvin Borel.
“The track was really fast that day, so I didn’t go much on time, but the way she did it was really, really good,” said trainer Lon Wiggins. “She passed the eye test. Whenever Calvin cut her loose at the quarter pole, she [bellied] down, and she did some running. She galloped out 1:26 [for seven furlongs] and 1:40 for the mile.”
Terra Promessa, by Curlin
Last 3 Beyers: 77-71-67
◗ She’s up and coming for Stonestreet Stables and enters off a nine-length win in a first-level allowance at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 5 at Oaklawn.
“Beautiful race here,” Asmussen said. “She’s a talented filly, and I think being by Curlin, she’s just going to continuously improve with time.”