Recent six-figure sale buys debut in maiden race

ARCADIA, Calif. – Run Away and Honeymoonz Over were sold about an hour apart at the Barretts March sale of selected 2-year-olds in training at Del Mar this year. They will be side by side in the gate for their first start, which comes in a maiden race at 4 1/2 furlongs Friday at Santa Anita.

Run Away, bought for $325,000 by Kaleem Shah, and Honeymoonz Over, bought for $360,000, are among a field of eight in the day’s second race.

Run Away, by Run Away and Hide, is trained by Simon Callaghan and has worked quickly in recent weeks, including a half-mile in 47.40 seconds from the gate last Friday.

“I think he’s ready to run a good race,” Callaghan said. “He’s shown good speed.”

Honeymoonz Over, by Congrats, is trained by Doug O’Neill and has shown a steady pattern of workouts since early April. Honeymoonz Over is owned by Great Friends Racing, Steve Keh, Kramer Racing, and Jamie Kapadia.

Callaghan said he looked at buying Honeymoonz Over at the sale.

“I liked him a lot,” Callaghan said.

Seven of the runners are first-time starters. The well-regarded Bookies Luck is the only horse with experience. He was third as the even-money favorite in his debut against California-bred maidens on May 6 for trainer Jeff Bonde and owners and breeders Larry and Marianne Williams.

“He should run big,” Bonde said. “We were high on him the first time out, and he was turned sideways leaving there. Going that distance, you can’t give up ground.”