Stronger Than Ever Targets Amy's Challenge in Honeybee

Novogratz Racing Stables' unbeaten Amy's Challenge will put her record on the line when she tackles two turns and six rivals in the $200,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) March 10 at Oaklawn Park, and trainer Ken McPeek is gunning for the local runner with last-out Silverbulletday Stakes winner Stronger Than Ever.

While Amy's Challenge, a daughter of Artie Schiller—Jump Up, by Jump Start , is three-for-three for trainer McLean "Mac" Robertson, she will stretch beyond six furlongs for the first time in Saturday's 1 1/16-mile test. She scored a neck victory going six furlongs at Oaklawn in the Jan. 20 Dixie Belle Stakes under Jareth Loveberry last out.

Meanwhile, Stronger Than Ever upset the Silverbulletday with a charge from eighth to first going a mile and 70 yards at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots for a neck score over Wonder Gadot at odds of 33-1. It was her first stakes win for Paul Fireman's Fern Circle Stables. 

The daughter of Congrats , a $310,000 purchase from the Woods Edge Farm consignment to the Keeneland September yearling sale, will be ridden in the Honeybee by Ricardo Santana Jr., the meet's leading jock.

"She's in a good spot," McPeek said. "We'll take back and try to make a rally. She'll need to be a little faster, but she's improving. She's a little ahead of where Daddys Lil Darling was at this point last year."

Normandy Farm homebred Daddys Lil Darling was second for McPeek in last spring's Central Bank Ashland Stakes (G1) and Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1). She later added the American Oaks (G1T) on turf and is set to make her 4-year-old debut in the Hillsborough Stakes (G3T) Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs.

Sizing up the Honeybee competition, McPeek said he respects Amy's Challenge.

"She's extremely fast," he remarked. "This is a tough spot. I'm hoping she can get caught up with some pace up front and set things up for us. But getting horses used to stretching out to go long is what it's all about this time of year."

Robertson put some bottom into Amy's Challenge Feb. 27, when he worked her six furlongs in 1:13 4/5 around 1 1/2 turns at Oaklawn, from the five-eighths pole to the seven-eighths pole. It was the third work back for Amy’s Challenge since moving to three-for-three in the Dixie Belle Stakes, her 2018 debut and first start against females. The $20,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall yearling sale buy from Paramount Sales beat the boys in the Shakopee Juvenile Stakes in September and broke her maiden against colts as well, at first asking in August.

Loveberry has ridden Amy’s Challenge throughout her career and regularly works her, but Robertson said he had exercise rider Ernesto Lopez aboard for the six-furlong move.

"I thought it was a good work under weight," Robertson said. "I wanted a little weight on her. She got a little tired ... but I was happy with the finish. Galloped out pretty good."

Amy's Challenge skipped the $125,000 Martha Washington Stakes Feb. 10, a mile race won by Sandra Sexton and Brandi Nicholson's homebred Red Ruby. The Martha Washington is Oaklawn’s first of three major two-turn preps for the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1). 

Red Ruby dropped her debut Oct. 29 for trainer Kellyn Gorder, but has since broken her maiden (in late November going the Honeybee trip at Churchill Downs) and captured the Martha Washington by an impressive 2 1/2 lengths, ahead of Honeybee rivals Sassy Sienna and Cosmic Burst.

By Tiznow  out of Caroni, by Rubiano, Red Ruby is a half sister to three stakes winners: grade 1-placed Beautician (by Dehere), grade 3 winner Mo Tom (by Uncle Mo ), and Bella Castani (by Big Brown ).

Entries: Honeybee S. (G3)

Oaklawn Park, Saturday, March 10, 2018, Race 8

• Grade III
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $200,000
• 3 yo Fillies
• 4:38 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Sassy Sienna (KY)	Gary L. Stevens	119	Brad H. Cox	5/1
2	2Stronger Than Ever (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	122	Kenneth G. McPeek	6/1
3	3Cosmic Burst (PA)	Richard E. Eramia	119	Donnie K. Von Hemel	6/1
4	4Bo Peep (KY)	Jon Kenton Court	117	William H. Fires	12/1
5	5Red Ruby (KY)	Robby Albarado	122	Kellyn Gorder	9/5
6	6Amy's Challenge (KY)	Jareth Loveberry	117	McLean Robertson	2/1
7	7Rahway (KY)	C.J. McMahon	115	Michael J. Maker	20/1