Paved wins Honeymoon, points to Belmont Oaks

ARCADIA, Calif. – Paved minded her manners Saturday at Santa Anita, won the Grade 2 Honeymoon for 3-year-old turf fillies, and could be on her way to New York to run for a million-dollar purse next time out.

The $200,000 Honeymoon was a chance at redemption for Paved, and she delivered with an emphatic 3 1/2-length victory under jockey Gary Stevens. Next stop, the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Oaks Invitational on July 7.

Michael McCarthy trains Paved ($5.80), who was a different filly in the Honeymoon than she was finishing third as the favorite in the Grade 3 Providencia two months ago. In that race, she pulled hard, was unrelaxed, and lost her punch.

On Saturday, Stevens took her back, found cover behind runners, and Paved settled near the back of the field. She saved ground running comfortably, gradually eased forward on the far turn, found steam at the head of the lane and scampered away to win clear in 1:48.57 for 1 1/8 miles.

Paved, owned by a partnership including Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Ciaglia Racing, has won 3 of 6 and earned $242,640.

Fatale Bere, the 6-5 favorite, finished last of six, with an alibi. Her saddle slipped forward early in the race; she was difficult to control by jockey Alonso Quinonez. It was a throwout race for Fatale Bere, a two-time stakes winner including the Providencia last out.

Animosity finished second, Ms Peintour finished third, followed in order by Miss Sienna, Movie Moment, May Girl and Fatale Bere.