He’smyhoneybadger Prevails in Wild Perryville Finish

On a sun-splashed fall afternoon, racing fans and horsemen were treated to a duo of thrilling race finishes Oct. 23 at Keeneland. Two races before Caramel Swirl ’s razor-thin victory over Joy's Rocket  in the Saturday feature, the Lexus Raven Run Stakes (G2), Steve Landers' Racing He'smyhoneybadger  edged two other rivals in a three-way blanket finish in the $150,000 Perryville Stakes.

He'smyhoneybadger looks like he's found his stride. The developing Daredevil   colt took four tries to break his maiden and steadily made his way into stakes company after two allowance optional claiming tallies, one of which was via disqualification. Making his stakes debut in the Sept. 25 Harrods Creek Stakes at Churchill Downs, He’smyhoneybadger broke a step slow and found himself further back than usual, but he responded with an encouraging runner-up effort leading into Saturday’s Perryville.

Matched against eight fellow sophomores, the Brad Cox pupil faced Curlin Florida Derby Presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa (G1) runner-up Soup and Sandwich , the consistent Jersey-bred graded stakes winner Pickin' Time , and impressive maiden winners Pipeline  and Cool Quest  in the seven-furlong sprint.

He’smyhoneybadger, away from the gates as the 6-1 fourth choice, again settled near the rear of the field as longshot Boca Boy  and Cool Quest duked it out through early splits of :22.16 and :44.97. Under Florent Geroux, He’smyhoneybadger rolled into contention around the turn, angling out for the stretch run while favored Pipeline forged his way past the retreating frontrunners. He’smyhoneybadger then pounced on Pipeline, narrowly gaining the advantage before a rally Ram  and Rafael Bejarano steamrolled their way down the center of the track, all but catching He’smyhoneybadger in a wild scramble to the wire.

He’smyhoneybadger prevailed by a head over Ram, with Pipeline a neck back in third. Soup and Sandwich, unraced since his 19th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) May 1, raced in mid-pack early before finishing last of nine.

The 3-year-olds ran the seven furlongs in 1:23.75 on a fast main track.

"Oh it was wild finish," said Geroux. "I thought I was going to win at the eighth pole but Rafael (Bejarano) made the race very interesting in the last fifty yards. It was very close. I was very proud of my horse though. He showed a lot of grit and determination in that last furlong."

D. Wayne Lukas, the trainer of Ram, was pleased with his charge's effort in the Perryville, indicating a start in the Nov. 26 Clark Stakes Presented by Norton Healthcare (G1) could be next for the son of American Pharoah  .

“We got a little further back but that’s the horse’s style. We really thought he might have won it. Usually the outside horse gets the nod at the wire. I think his best distance is seven furlongs to a mile, so we will try to find something at Churchill. I’m just bold enough to think about the Clark.”

He'smyhoneybadger, bred in Kentucky by Richard Forbush, increased his career earnings to $321,824 after the Perryville. He is the first stakes winner out of the Majestic Warrior  mare Majestic Bliss, the dam of a juvenile colt by Run Away and Hide  and a yearling filly by Cloud Computing  .

Landers bought him for $85,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March 2020 2-Year-Olds In Training Sale from the Advanced Thoroughbreds consignment. The previous fall, he fell short of his reserve when bidding stopped at $9,000 at Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky October Yearlings Sale when consigned by Forbush Farm.