Honeymoon Stakes (Grade 3)- $150.000 Purse
SA- For Fillies Three Years Old
One Mile and One Eighth on the Turf
May 30, 2020

Mrs Nussbaums Credit came into the Honeymoon Stakes after breaking her maiden in her prior start, which was the seventh of her career. She had run well up to that point, too, so there was plenty of reason to feel good about her going forward. However, she did all that while sprinting on the dirt, other then one exception when she did run a mile. This race represented a complete change in the conditions she was used too as not only was she going nine furlongs, she was also doing so on the grass. Without any public works on the turf, there was no way to really get a feel for her, and as such, she went off as a 27/1 longshot. In this race, she not only won, but pulled off an HRP-rout of a win, taking it by three lengths. Now, everyone will know how she fares on the grass and running long! The winning trainer of this Niagra filly is Arindel, and he wins this take for the first time. That is also true for winning rider, Ru Fuentes. Congratulations to them! The time of the win was 1:46.42, which is about the same as last year. Let’s take a look!

(½ Mile- :49.11)- At the beginning of the race, the early leaders would be Yuhwa, from Aer Stables, and Scatter, from Mb Stables. Moving down the frontstretch, it seemed as though these would continue to lead into the turn. Just then, our eventual winner, Mrs Nussbaums Credit, picked it up for Arindel just as they hit the wire the first time with an aggressive push that made it seem like the race was going to be over at that point. Once in the lead, she did not stop, and opened up a two and a half length advantage by the time they reached half a mile. Yuhwa and Scatter did not go with her, and continued to run together. After another two and a half lengths, Goblin Judge (Wood Duck Stables) and Ashen Angel (Ezzz Racing), also ran together.

(3/4 Mile- 1:12.00)- Moving down the backstretch, the only thing that happens differently at the front is that Mrs Nussbaums Credit extends her lead to now being three and a half lengths. She appears to be very comfortable in the process, and is not killing herself with these fractions. Both Yuhwa and Scatter hold their positions, but there is some movement behind them, as the two length gap to Goblin Judge and Ashen Angel had evaporated, and they were both looking to make a move heading into the turn.

(Top Of Stretch, 1.5F To Go)- Mrs Nussbaums Credit continues to lead and is showing no signs of fatigue as she runs this longer distance for the first time. Her lead remains three and a half, and there was no one behind her looking to make a move. Yuhwa and Scatter continued to race side by side, and now you had to think that they had let the eventual winner get away from them. It was looking like Goblin Judge and Ashen Angel were going to make more of a move then they actually did, and they are still trailing.

(Finish- 1:46.42)- This was far too easy for Mrs Nussbuams Credit today. All that was left to do in the stretch is watch her run, as there was no sort of challenge coming towards her. Very impressive, when you consider the jump up in class she was making, it was her first time on turf, and it was just the second time she ran at least a mile. Yuhwa, rather uneventfully, takes second over Scatter. Ashen Angel and Goblin Judge pulled no shows today.

About The Winner- Mrs Nussbaums Credit, trained by Arindel and ridden to victory by Ru Fuentes, is a three year old filly by Niagra, and is out of Egyptian Isakoff. She was bred in California by Serenity Stables as a yearling, and acquired by Arindel, via a $50.000 private sale from Sincityfarms on Christmas last year. Nice present, and congratulations to the connections! The win is her second in eight starts, and her career earnings are now $134.000.

Track: Firm
Time: :49   1:12   1:34⁴  1:46²

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 5 – 3 Paid 111.20
$1 Trifecta: 5 – 3 – 4 Paid 945.30

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES