Explora Looks to Get Back on Track in Honeybee

Explora  headlines a packed field of 10 in the $750,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) March 1 at Oaklawn Park.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, she is coming off a 1 1/2-length loss to Meaning  in the Las Virgenes Stakes Feb.8 at Santa Anita Park. One race earlier, she made a winning start to her 3-year-old campaign with a 5 1/4-length victory in the Santa Ynez Stakes Jan. 10 at Santa Anita. She capped her 2-year-old season with a close runner-up finish as the post-time favorite in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Del Mar. The daughter of Blame   is owned by Michael Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman.

One of her main rivals in the 1 1/16-mile Honeybee is the Kenny McPeek trainee Taken by the Wind , who is looking to remain perfect. She has won three races from three starts, most recently taking the Silverbulletday Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. The daughter of Rock Your World   drew the outside post for the Honeybee Stakes.

Trainer Mark Casse entered a duo returning from the Feb. 6 Martha Washington Stakes, a local prep for the Honeybee. Search Party  won the Martha Washington by a neck, and Counting Stars  went off as the favorite in the Martha Washington but was eased and finished last. She walked off the track from that effort with no injuries and cooled out normally at the barn.

The Honeybee Stakes is the ninth race on a 12-race card, and carries Kentucky Oaks (G1) points of 50-25-15-10-5 to the top five finishers.