Wet Paint shows her love for sloppy track in Honeybee
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Wet Paint won her second straight Kentucky Oaks points race Saturday when she shuttled home for a three-length win over pacesetter Condensation in the Grade 3, $300,000 Honeybee at Oaklawn Park.
It was another three-quarters of a length back in third to Grand Love.
Wet Paint picked up 50 points for the Kentucky Oaks, one start after earning 20 for her win in last month’s Martha Washington at Oaklawn.
Wet Paint won on a sloppy, sealed track in the Honeybee to improve her wet track record to 3 for 3.
“She obviously likes a wet track,” winning trainer Brad Cox said. “I guess she should have been named Wet Track. Maybe that will be the name of her first foal.”
Before then, Wet Paint has more business to attend to on the track. Cox said if he likes what he sees from her coming out of the Honeybee, Wet Paint could run back in either the Fantasy at Oaklawn in April or the Ashland at Keeneland.
“I think the logical spot is the Fantasy, to get her to the Fantasy to get to the Oaks,” Cox said. “The Ashland is probably in play as well. But she obviously likes it here. Her work last weekend was amazing. We’ll discuss it with [Godolphin]. I’m thinking we’re between the Fantasy and Ashland.”
Wet Paint ($5.40) trailed going into the first turn, advanced along the rail down the backstretch, came off the rail approaching the eighth pole and finished with a flourish to cover 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.35. She earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 83.
Flavien Prat was aboard Wet Paint.
“She ran big,” Cox said. “She got a great, patient ride from Flavien.”
Condensation held well for second after setting fractions of 23.54 for the opening quarter, 48.19 for the half-mile and 1:13.51 for six furlongs.
Wet Paint is a daughter of Blame who was bred by owner Godolphin. She has now won 3 of 5 starts for earnings of $334,100. Wet Paint’s three wins have come in her three starts on dirt, with her other outs coming on turf at Kentucky Downs and the synthetic track at Turfway.
Condensation picked up 20 points for the Kentucky Oaks and Grand Love earned 15. Gambling Girl, who was fourth in the Honeybee, earned 10 and Towhead, who was fifth, earned 5.
Last year, the Honeybee was won by Secret Oath, who went on to win the Kentucky Oaks on a wet-fast track at Churchill Downs.
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