Honeybee, Busher, Bourbonette Oaks to offer Kentucky Oaks points

Mar 06, 2019 Vance Hanson/Brisnet.com

Three Road to the Kentucky Oaks qualifiers will be held Saturday across the country, led by the $200,000 Honeybee (G3) at Oaklawn Park. The 10-horse field will travel 1 1/16 miles.

The probable favorite is the Tom Van Berg-trained Motion Emotion, who has already won twice at the Oaklawn meet including an allowance over the Honeybee distance on February 17 by a stylish margin of 6 3/4 lengths.

Also lining up are the top two finishers from last month's $125,000 Martha Washington, Power Gal and Marathon Queen, plus $100,000 Dixie Belle winner Raintree Starlet.

A dozen Oaks candidates will line up in the $250,000 Busher at Aqueduct over a one-turn mile. Oxy Lady returns to the scene of her upset victory in last November's Tempted (G3) after two disappointing tries at Los Alamitos and Fair Grounds.

The Todd Pletcher-trained duo of $100,000 Busanda winner Always Shopping and allowance scorer Orra Moor will have to overcome posts 11 and 12, respectively. Also entering with solid credentials are Please Flatter Me, Ujjayi, Filly Joel, and Enliven.

The other prep is the $100,000 Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park over one mile on the Polytrack. Among the leading contenders in the field of 12 is Into Trouble, winner last fall of the Arlington-Washington Lassie.

The Honeybee and Busher will offer Oaks qualifying points of 50-20-10-5 to the top four finishers. The Bourbonette Oaks will offer qualifying points of 20-8-4-2.

All three races can be watched and wagered on at TwinSpires.com.