HOT SPRINGS -- Things did not go as planned Saturday, but the winner got the setup she needed and, according to her connections, responded perfectly.
Debby Oxley's Chocolate Kisses ran from near the back of a ten-horse field as contenders pulled her through rapid fractions in the Grade III 1 1/16-mile Honeybee Stakes for three-year-old fillies. Under Orlando Mojica, Chocolate Kisses, off at 8-1, worked into third at the head of the stretch but was still five lengths back. She sprinted past the frontrunners in the final 25 yards to win before an estimated crowd of 16,000 at Oaklawn Park.
"I mean, she had things go perfect," said Mark Casse, trainer of Chocolate Kisses, by Candy Ride. "It set up for her. They ran fast, but she got in a little trouble early, and then she made a big wide move, and she just kept going. I was proud of her. It was nice."
"I knew I had a lot of horse," Mojica said. "She finished good."
She passed a total of seven fillies in the final half-mile, last of all Bizwhacks and the even-money favorite Motion Emotion, who finished second, one length behind Chocolate Kisses and 11/2 lengths in front of third-place Bizwhacks. Sunset Wish was fourth, 91/2 lengths behind Bizwhacks.
Motion Emotion, a daughter of Take Charge Indy owned by Mark Dedomenico, led through each split. Ridden by jockey Jon Court, she was a length in front of Best Kept Secret through the first quarter-mile in 22.46, 21/2 lengths ahead at the half in 45.99, and the same through 6 furlongs in 1:11.46.
"You can't go a mile and a 16th going 22 and two-fifths [for the first quarter]," Motion Emotion's trainer Tom Van Berg said. "It's just unfortunate. In my opinion, she was the best and she should've won the race."
Raintree Starlet, in her first start beyond six furlongs, ran third through three-quarters of a mile but faded to eighth, 211/4 lengths behind the winner. Best Kept Secret finished ninth, 29 lengths back.
Raintree Starlet, by Get Stormy, won the $100,000 6-furlong Dixie Belle Stakes on Feb. 16, and her trainer Brian Williamson said he will likely return her to sprints, with the $150,000 6-furlong Purple Martin Stakes scheduled for March 30 a likely landing spot.
"I thought she had a perfect trip and then just didn't kick in like she was supposed to for a distance horse," Williamson said. "So, we have the Purple Martin in three weeks, and we'll see how she comes back. It didn't work out today, but there's no shame in that. It's a tough bunch, but we'll be back stronger than ever."
The Honeybee results distributed a total of 85 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points. Chocolate Kisses got 50 for her win and is virtually assured a place in the Oaks' starting gate. Motion Emotion earned 20 with her second-place finish, followed by Bizwhacks with 10 and Sunset Wish with 5.
The Oaks is scheduled for May 3, the day before the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville.
A storm front dropped 0.94 inches of rain on Oaklawn between 8:53 and 9:53 a.m. Saturday. Oaklawn's track began the day rated muddy but improved to fast immediately before the Honeybee.
Casse said he will likely target Chocolate Kisses toward Oaklawn's Grade III $500,000 1 1/16-mile Fantasy Stakes scheduled for April 12.
Mojica said he had to improvise from the start of Saturday's race.
"My plan was to break third or fourth, but that didn't work out," Mojica said of his ride on a filly accustomed to turf racing. "I tried to keep her to the outside because I knew she'd been on turf. I didn't want to get a lot of dirt in her face. I kept her from that, and she finished up good."
Sports on 03/10/2019