Power Gal Looks to Take Next Step in Honeybee Stakes
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Photo: Coady Photography
Power Gal wins the Martha Washington Stakes
As a daughter of Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Empire Maker , Power Gal would figure to prefer added distance. And, her first try at two turns seemed to back that assessment.
In her 3-year-old season and stakes debut in the Feb. 2 Martha Washington, a two-turn mile race at Oaklawn Park, Power Gal surged past three rivals in the final quarter mile while racing four wide. The move is especially impressive considering mile races at Oaklawn feature a short stretch.
Gary Barber's Power Gal will try to build on that performance March 9 when she stretches out a bit more in the 1 1/16-mile Honeybee Stakes at Oaklawn, where she's been based this year for trainer Mark Casse. After the impressive winning move in the Martha Washington, Power Gal has followed with two strong works at Oaklawn, including a five-furlong move Feb. 24 where she earned the bullet in completing that breeze in 1:01.
The Honeybee awards qualifying points to the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1)—50-20-10-5 to the top four finishers.
A field of 10 is expected, including Power Gal stablemate Chocolate Kisses, who finished fourth in last year's Darley Alcibiades Stakes (G1) at Keeneland and enters off a clear victory in a Jan. 18 allowance-optional claiming race on the Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots turf.
"She's a filly that I think is nice," Casse said Wednesday morning. "I worked her this fall at Churchill, I guess, before the Alcibiades. I thought she worked as good as any 2-year-old filly I've ever had in Kentucky. I thought she had a really good shot to win the Alcibiades. She got a very bad post. She got bothered going into the first turn. If you watch her race, she was the only horse to close. I thought she ran exceptionally well. She ran so well that we flirted with the idea of running her in the Breeders' Cup."
Also entered Saturday is Martha Washington runner-up Marathon Queen, who could well improve as she makes just her third career start. Raintree Starlet will stretch out off her clear win in the six-furlong Dixie Belle Stakes Feb. 16 at Oaklawn.
Mark De Domenico's Motion Emotion will try stakes company for the first time after a pair of impressive front-running wins at Oaklawn, most recently a 6 3/4-length, front-running triumph in a Feb. 17 allowance-optional claiming race. Oaklawn Park, Saturday, March 09, 2019, Race 9Entries: Honeybee S. (G3)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Perfect Reins (KY)
Richard E. Eramia
117
Steven M. Asmussen
15/1
2
2Motion Emotion (KY)
Jon Kenton Court
122
Thomas L. Van Berg
3/1
3
3Sunset Wish (KY)
Ramon A. Vazquez
117
Michael Stidham
6/1
4
4Bizwhacks (KY)
Mario Gutierrez
117
Doug F. O'Neill
12/1
5
5Chocolate Kisses (KY)
Orlando Mojica
117
Mark E. Casse
4/1
6
6Power Gal (JPN)
David Cohen
122
Mark E. Casse
9/2
7
7Raintree Starlet (KY)
Alex L. Canchari
117
Brian Williamson
6/1
8
8Ultimate Mo (PA)
David Cabrera
117
D. Wayne Lukas
12/1
9
9Marathon Queen (KY)
Ricardo Santana, Jr.
117
Steven M. Asmussen
6/1
10
10Best Kept Secret (KY)
Kevin J. Smith
117
Benard Chatters
30/1
