Santa Anita Oaks field may include maiden winner Honey Ride

ARCADIA, CAlif. - Honey Ride, the winner of a maiden race over a mile on March 2, may run in the $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks on April 5, trainer John Sadler said. The Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks would be the stakes debut for Honey Ride, who races for Jerry and Ann Moss.

Sadler said that a workout on Sunday would determine whether Honey Ride runs.

“I’d like to go in an easier race,” Sadler said. “You don’t want to go from a maiden to a [graded] race.”

The Santa Anita Oaks is expected to have a small field. The list of candidates is led by Fashion Plate, the winner of the Grade 1 Las Virgenes Stakes on Feb. 1, and Ria Antonia, who was promoted from second to first in the BC Juvenile Fillies last November.

Ria Antonia finished fourth in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes at Fair Grounds on Feb. 22 before being transferred to trainer Bob Baffert. She has worked steadily through March, including five furlongs in 1:00 on Wednesday.

The Santa Anita Oaks field is also expected to include Arethusa, who won the Sharp Cat Stakes at Hollywood Park last November and was third in the Las Virgenes.