Bet on the Honeymoon Stakes
The Honeymoon Stakes at Santa Anita has undergone several changes over the years since it was run for the first time in 1952. Originally run as the Sea Breeze Stakes, it became the Honeymoon Stakes in 1956 and was run as a handicap from 1975 to 2013. The distance has varied over the years but the Grade 2 event is currently contested at a mile and an eighth on the turf and the race offers a purse of $200,000.
Online Racebook Guide
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Honeymoon Stakes Betting Odds
There was plenty of value to be had in the 2015 edition of the Honeymoon Stakes. The favorite, Entrechat, never showed up at odds of 2-1 and finished a disappointing sixth. The second choice at odds of 3-1, Spanish Queen, took advantage and won the race over a huge longshot – Sharla Rae at odds of 48-1. With the favorite off the board, the trifecta returned $599.90 and the superfecta paid $2,063.40. Playing through Bovada’s racebook enables horseplayers to take advantage of 3% win or lose rebates on all straight wagers and 5% back on exotics.
2016 Honeymoon Stakes Contenders
The 2016 edition of the Honeymoon Stakes has come up as an incredibly wide open race. With no clear-cut favorite, Be Mine has been given the slight edge at odds of 7-2 though there are three rivals close behind on the morning line at odds of 4-1.
Be Mine is a lightly-raced daughter of Twirling Candy and she will be trying to earn her first graded stakes victory. She broke her maiden at first asking and followed that up quickly with a starter allowance victory. She stepped up in class further and passed the test with a game runner-up effort in the Senorita Stakes (G3) last time out in which she lost by only a head to Stays in Vegas who she will be facing again.
She will have some challengers, however, including the Keith Desormeaux-trained Decked Out and Stays in Vegas for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. Decked Out was fourth in the Senorita Stakes (G3) last time out but won a graded stakes race in her prior start. Stays in Vegas has won five of her seven starts.
Here is the field for the Honeymoon Stakes along with morning line odds.
1. Lady Valeur (IRE), 4-1
2. Gone to Bali, 8-1
3. Stays in Vegas, 4-1
4. Decked Out, 4-1
5. Cheekaboo, 12-1
6. Be Mine, 7-2
7. Jeremy’s Legacy (IRE), 6-1
8. How Unusual, 12-1
9. Where’s the D, 12-1
10. Sutton’s Smile, 12-1
Did you know?
The Honeymoon Stakes is named after a mare named Honeymoon who became the first California-bred filly to win over $100,000 on the track. She retired with 20 victories from 78 starts at the age of seven with over $380,000 in earnings and numerous stakes victories to her credit.
No jockey has won the Honeymoon Stakes more times than Eddie Delahoussaye. The Hall of Fame rider has won the race seven times. He made his first trip to the winner’s circle in 1984 with Vagabond Girl and followed that up with Sharp Ascent (1985), Pen Bal Lady (1987), Hot Option (1989), Materco (1990), Likeable Style (1993) and Auriette (IRE) in 1995.
Ron McAnnally has saddled three winners of the Honeymoon Stakes. He won his first edition of the race in 1988 with Do So and was back in 1996 with Antespend. His most recent winner came in 2001 with Innit (IRE).