Hush It Honey just got the best of favorite Haulin Ice (Coady Photography)
Patton’s Tizzy Noses Landlord in $150,000 Rainbow Stakes
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By Robert Yates – Oaklawn Park
HOT SPRINGS, Ark.— A match race on paper played out like that on the track.
Hush It Honey edged favored Haulin Ice by three-quarters of a length to win the $150,000 Rainbow Miss Stakes for fillies Saturday at Oaklawn. In the companion feature, supplemental nominee Patton’s Tizzy topped Landlord by a nose to win the $150,000 Rainbow Stakes. Both six-furlong races, restricted to 3-year-old Arkansas-breds, were run over a fast track.
A handful in the infield prior to the post parade, Hush It Honey (the 6-5 second choice in the seven-horse field) was all business after breaking from post 4 under Rafael Bejarano.
“She’s a very fast filly. The other horse (Haulin Ice) is faster than me. I just let her go, but I wanted to be right there in position,” Bejarano said.
Haulin Ice, as expected, broke on top and led by 1 1/2 lengths through a :45.66 half-mile. Hush It Honey, third early, ranged up on the outside approaching the quarter pole to engage the 4-5 favorite. Haulin Ice held a narrow advantage in midstretch but Hush It Honey stuck her head in front inside the eighth pole and slowly edged clear nearing the wire. After the all-gray exacta, it was 15 ¼ lengths farther back to Sthenic in third.
“She wears you out. Plus, running her back in two weeks is not good. I really didn’t think she would run good at all. Two weeks is too quick for a little old filly,” Morse remarked.
“Today, she learned to stay relaxed, stay behind horses, get a little dirt in the face. As soon as I got into the stretch, I attacked the other horse because I think the other horse doesn’t like the pressure. My horse always likes to fight and that’s why she won the race,” Bejarano said.
Hush It Honey’s winning time was a sharp 1:10.92. Hush It Honey ($4.40) represented the first Rainbow Miss victory for trainer Randy Morse, who co-owns the daughter of Too Much Bling with Randy Patterson.
Hush It Honey, who was making her state-bred debut, won for the fourth time in seven starts to raise her career earnings to $222,000. She is a three-time winner at the meeting.
Patterson’s daughter, Sara, owns 2022 Rainbow Miss winner Punchy Girl, who is now trained by Morse.
“She’s been very, very good to us in open company. I didn’t know what it would look like in a breed race. Rafael (Bejarano) gave her a perfect trip. I’ll let my trainer, Randy Morse, figure that (next race) out. He kind of gets all the credit for this,” said Patterson.
The Rainbow was the first career Oaklawn stakes victory for jockey Martin Chuan, who rode Patton’s Tizzy ($24.20) for two-time Eclipse Award winning trainer Brad Cox and owner Steve Landers, a prominent Arkansas automobile dealer and member of the Arkansas Racing Commission.
Patton’s Tizzy, after breaking from the rail, was hounded on the outside by Strike Ridge, with Landlord racing just behind the two front-runners. Patton’s Tizzy briefly lost the lead to Strike Ridge in midstretch, then dug in along the inside and had just enough to hold off Landlord at the wire. Twenty to Park, the slight 2-1 favorite in the 10-horse field, finished fourth.
Patton’s Tizzy ran the distance in 1:11.88. The gelded son of Paynter was exiting a front-running 1 ¼-length victory against $35,000 state-bred maiden claimers March 17 at Oaklawn.
Patton’s Tizzy, winning for the second time in four lifetime starts, raised his earnings to $120,000.
“I said (to trainer Brad Cox), ‘Well, let’s just try it (Rainbow). It doesn’t cost anything to try, so, we tried it. Martin (Chuan) rode great, and Patton’s Tizzy improved off the last out. Horses young like that will improve from one race to another and he improved greatly today,” Patton’s Tizzy’s owner Steve Landers remarked.
Racing resumes Sunday at 12:38 p.m. (Central).
