Time's Mistress Stings Honeybee Foes

(from Oaklawn Park report)
Charles Kidder’s Time’s Mistress, twice third to Devil House in stakes at the meeting, turned the tables on that rival when she raced to a 4 3/4-length victory in the $100,000 Honeybee Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on Friday afternoon at Oaklawn Park.

With John Jacinto, the meeting’s leading rider aboard, Time’s Mistress, a chestnut daughter of Mr. Greeley trained by D. Wayne Lukas, stalked 9-5 favorite Devil House through a half-mile in :47 4/5.

Devil House commenced to shorten stride toward the end of the backstretch, and Time’s Mistress, who had been beaten a combined 10 lengths by Devil House in the Dixie Belle and Martha Washington, blew past the leader from the outside.

Turning into the homestretch, Time’s Mistress was three in front under a hand ride, and the Kentucky-bred hit the wire a decisive winner. High Heels, the second choice under Joe Johnson, closed for second, 2 3/4 lengths before the fast-closing Grace Happens, who, like the winner, is trained by Lukas.

Stellas New Groove finished fourth, while Devil House checked in fifth in the field of nine.

The victory was the third in eight starts for Time’s Mistress, and the $60,000 first prize spiked her earnings to $127,050. She covered the 1 1/16 miles over a fast track in 1:45 2/5, and paid $26.80, $9 and $6.80. She topped a $115 exacta with High Heels, who returned $3.80 and $3.20. Grace Happens, ridden by Willie Martinez, was $11.40 to show.

For Lukas, who will run the favored Flying First Class on Saturday in the $300,000 Rebel Stakes (gr. III) for 3-year-olds, this was his fifth Honeybee victory. Lukas won four straight renewals of the Honeybee from 1988 to 1991. His five Honeybee victories have come for five different owners.

(Chart, Equibase)