Oaks Updates

SOUTH/BROWNIE POINTS HEADS OAKLAWN'S HONEYBEE - Pin Oak Stud's homebred Brownie Points will look to build on her momentum, while Wayne Sanders and Larry Hirsch's Baghdaria will seek vindication in Saturday's 19th running of the $75,000 Honeybee Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

Brownie Points became the new star in the 3-year-old filly ranks at Oaklawn with a 13-1 upset victory last month in the Martha Washington Stakes. The same race brought major disappointment to the camp of Baghdaria, who had burst into prominence with an upset win over French Park in the Silverbulletday (GIII) at the Fair Grounds at Harrah's Louisiana Downs. The daughter of Royal Academy finished fifth as the favorite in the Martha Washington.

The Martha Washington win made Brownie Points a stakes winner on both dirt and turf for trainer Donnie K. Von Hemel. Luis Quinonez, the leading rider at Oaklawn, has the return mount on the daughter of Forest Wildcat. She will be the favorite in the compact field of six 3-year-old fillies in the 1 1/16-mile Honeybee, Oaklawn's major prep for its $250,000 Fantasy (GII) for 3-year-old fillies on April 14.

"We thought we saw something special in Brownie Points before she ever started," Von Hemel said. "But she ran poorly first time out. We moved her to the grass for her second start, and she won. She hasn't run a bad race since. It's not often you find a young horse winning stakes on grass and dirt."

Brownie Points is not nominated to the $500,000-added Kentucky Oaks (GI), although she could be made a supplemental nominee to the race for a fee of $25,000, which equals five percent of the Oaks purse.

Baghdaria is also a winner on turf and dirt for trainer Bret Calhoun, although her grass win came in an allowance race. Her defeat in the Martha Washington snapped a two-race winning streak for Baghdaria, who will be ridden in the Honeybee by Cliff Berry.

Other Honeybee contenders include Kat Nan Do, Best Mom, Ermine and Morner.

MIDWEST/SABATINI, DANCE DAILY TOP TURFWAY'S BOURBONETTE - Two 3-year-old fillies that have faced some of the finest members of their generation head a field of 10 entered for Saturday's $100,000 Bourbonette Breeders' Cup (Grade III) at Northern Kentucky's Turfway Park.

Sabatini, owned by Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith and trained by Patrick Biancone, and Dance Daily, owned by the Estate of Robert Lewis and Beverly Lewis and trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, are the most accomplished members of the field entered for the one-mile race, which has been granted graded stakes status for the first time.

Sabatini notched her only career victory in a November allowance race at Churchill Downs, then ran third as the favorite behind longshot Diplomat Lady and current Kentucky Oaks (GI) favorite Balance in the Hollywood Starlet (GI) at Hollywood Park. The Bourbonette Breeders' Cup will be the first race for the daughter of Five Star Day since a runner-up finish to Itty Bitty Pretty in Santa Anita's Santa Ysabel (GIII) on Jan. 7.

Apprentice Julien Leparoux, the nation's leader in victories by a jockey and the leading rider at Turfway Park, has the mount on Sabatini.

Dance Daily shocked a field that included stablemate and reigning 2-year-old filly champion Folklore when she won the Santa Ynez (GII) in January at Santa Anita. Another daughter of Five Star Day, Dance Daily is the only graded stakes winner in the Bourbonette Breeders' Cup field and will be ridden by Julio Garcia.

Classical Ryder, the winner of Turfway Park's Valdale Stakes for veteran Kentucky trainer Donald Hughes, heads the hometown contingent. Eddie Martin, Jr. will ride Classical Ryder, who is unbeaten in four career starts.

The field for the Bourbonette Breeders' Cup, from the rail out, includes: Sabatini (Leparoux); Lemons Forever (David Flores); Lady Danza (Brice Blanc); Dance Daily (Garcia); Morethanawhisper (Dean Butler); Coronado's Vision (Edgar Prado); Classical Ryder (Martin Jr.); Capozzene (Christopher DeCarlo); Champagne N Glory (John McKee); and Top Notch Lady (Robby Albarado).

EAST/DAYTIME PROMISE LOOKS TO MAKE AMENDS - Daytime Promise, the beaten favorite when she endured a troubled journey in the Busher Stakes, looks to rebound from that disappointing effort on Friday when she takes on seven rivals in the $60,000 Wayward Lass Stakes at Aqueduct.

The winner of the Busher Stakes was listed as the 2-1 morning-line favorite in the one-mile Wayward Lass. Jockey Ramon Dominguez will ride Daytime Promise for trainer Gary Contessa. Norberto Arroyo, Jr. had been aboard for her Busher loss to Regal Engagement.

"I was so disappointed after her last race - not in her, just in the situation with the traffic - that I really need to get her back in the winner's circle," Contessa told the Daily Racing Form. "I want to erase the memories of her last start."

Other contenders in the Wayward Lass, a prep for the Comely (GIII) on April 15, include Busher runner-up Trendy Lady (3-1), Last Romance (4-1) and Fifth Avenue (6-1).

Daytime Promise is not nominated to the Kentucky Oaks.

SOUTHEAST/SAFFRONISTA ROMPS IN OBS FILLY CHAMPIONSHIP - Roland Powell's Saffronista cruised to an 11-length victory in Monday's $100,000 Ocala Breeders' Sales Championship for 3-year-old fillies at the Ocala Sales Center.

The chestnut filly, a runner-up to Crystal Current in the Suncoast at Tampa Bay Downs in her previous start, covered the 1 1/16-mile distance over a "fast" track in 1:45.80. Saffronista's winning time was a full second faster than the clocking turned in by Bushmills Best in the OBS Championship for 3-year-old colts and geldings.

Early pacesetter Excellerent held on for second, while Chic Cat finished third.

The victory by Saffronista improved her record to 3-2-1 in six races and boosted her earnings to $114,480. The daughter of Ecton Park is not nominated to the Kentucky Oaks.

The OBS Championship races were restricted to graduates of auctions at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Center.

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