Rivals Return Against 'Xian' in Honeymoon

Five of the fillies who finished behind Ben Keswick's Spirit of Xian in the Providencia Stakes (gr. IIIT) will take another shot at her in the $200,000 Honeymoon Stakes (gr. IIT) May 3.



Both races cover 1 1/8 miles over the Santa Anita Park turf, where the Irish-bred daughter of Kodiac won in gate-to-wire fashion in the Providencia April 4, holding off a late run by Spanish Queen by a neck at odds of 16-1.



LEWYN: Spirit of Xian Leads the Way in Providencia



Spanish Queen, a California-bred by Tribal Rule, will return in the Honeymoon and break from post 2 under regular rider Brice Blanc. Spirit of Xian, trained by Richard Mandella, will break from post 8 with Joe Talamo, who has been aboard during both of the filly's U.S. starts. All nine entrants will carry 117 pounds.



Other Providencia runners entered include Entrechat (third), Prize Exhibit (fourth), Havanna Belle (fifth), and Lutine Belle (eighth).



The challengers will all be seeking their first graded wins and almost all seemingly had an excuse in the Providencia. Spanish Queen had to be pulled up early, Entrechat hopped at the start, Prize Exhibit broke slowly and was steadied going into the second turn, and Havanna Bell was off slow and had a wide trip.



Newcomer Screaming Skylar, a maiden special weight winner making her stakes debut for trainer Peter Miller, should contend for the lead with Spirit of Xian.



Other entrants not involved in the Providencia—Sharla Rae, Star Via Strada, and Singing Kitty—will likely need a closing kick to collect their first graded stakes victories.



Singing Kitty, a Ministers Wild Cat   filly, is heading back to the grass after a fifth-place finish in the Santa Anita Oaks (gr. I) April 4 and will break from the outside with jockey Tyler Baze. She's won her last two stakes tries over the Santa Anita turf, the China Doll March 7 and the California Cup Oaks, both at a mile.



Sharla Rae, a daughter of Afleet Alex  , was eighth in her only turf test—the Jan. 1 Blue Norther Stakes—but was third last time out in the Bourbonette Oaks (gr. III) at Turfway Park.



Star Via Strada hasn't beaten winners in four tries after breaking her maiden at Golden Gate Fields in November.