Sandiva, Coffee Clique Clash in Honey Fox

The $300,000 Honey Fox Stakes (gr. IIT) at Gulfstream Park March 28 features the “now” horse, Sandiva, versus last year’s star, Coffee Clique.

While the Todd Pletcher-trained Sandiva is coming off victories in the Suwannee River Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Gulfstream Feb. 7 and the Tropical Park Oaks in December, Coffee Clique, trained by Brian Lynch, has not run since winning the Just A Game Stakes (gr. IT) at Belmont Park last June, her third victory in a row.

Sandiva, owned by Al Shaqab Racing, had came to the U.S. from England last summer, having captured the Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes (Eng-I). The Irish-bred daughter of Footstepsinthesand has improved with each start since arriving in North America and now tries for her third straight stakes victory.

Javier Castellano will be aboard the 4-year-old filly, who carries topweight of 123 pounds under the allowance conditions.

But the class horse in the Honey Fox is Coffee Clique, who has not been worse than fourth in her last nine starts. Although the daughter of Medaglia d'Oro   has not run for 9 1/2 months, she is coming off three straight six-furlong works on the Palm Meadows Training Center turf course, including back-to-back breezes in 1:12 and 1:12 2/5. Because of the layoff, she gets in the mile race with 117 pounds. Luis Saez has the mount.

But the Honey Fox, which drew a field of nine, is far from a two-horse race. Expected to make her presence felt is Swettenham Stud’s Lady Lara, another European import, who has run twice in the U.S. for trainer Bill Mott, winning the Pebbles Stakes at Belmont in October and finishing a fast-closing second in the Mrs. Revere Stakes (gr. IIT) at Churchill Downs in November. Junior Alvarado will ride the daughter of Excellent Art.

Also entered are the first three finishers of the South Beach Stakes at Gulfstream Dec. 13. The winner, Irish-bred Marbre Rose, trained by Christophe Clement, is two-for-two since traveling stateside from France. The daughter of recently-deceased Smart Strike   closed well in the South Beach to defeat Baffle Me by a half-length. The latter, who had won the South Beach in 2014, came charging home from 12th and just missed in an excellent performance. Finishing a nose back in third was Kitty Wine, who came back to finish third in an overnight stakes Feb. 14.

Drawing the rail is Party Now, who was second, beaten a neck by Sandiva, in the Tropical Park Oaks in her last start.

Shipping in from Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots for Michael Stidham is Istanford, who is coming off a second in the Bayou Stakes at Fair Grounds Feb. 21.

Completing the field is Lori's Store, winner of an allowance/optional claimer in her last start.