Stronger Than Ever to Honeybee Stakes

Stronger Than Ever, winner of the Jan. 13 Silverbulletday Stakes at Fair Grounds, will make her next start March 10 at Oaklawn Park in the Honeybee Stakes, trainer Ken McPeek said Friday. McPeek said he plans to send Eskimo Kisses, an impressive first-level allowance winner Thursday at Oaklawn, to the Grade 2, $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks on March 24.

Eskimo Kisses, a To Honor and Serve filly, needed four tries to win a maiden race, scoring by a neck Feb. 1 at Oaklawn, but racing over a sloppy track Thursday, she cruised to an 11 1/2-length victory in a first-level allowance race over 1 1/16 miles. Eskimo Kisses earned an 85 Beyer Speed Figure.

“I think she’ll be pretty tough at Fair Grounds,” McPeek said.

Stronger Than Ever scored an upset win in the Silverbulletday, running the best race of her career, and shortly thereafter, McPeek said he’d pass on the Feb. 17 Rachel Alexandra Stakes to give his filly a breather. Stronger Than Ever worked Feb. 9, her only breeze since the Silverbulletday, but McPeek said she was to have another drill this weekend at Fair Grounds to prepare for her start at Oaklawn.