Wet Paint faces nine in Fantasy

Mar 29, 2023 James Scully/TwinSpires.com

Honeybee (G3) and Martha Washington S. winner Wet Paint tops
a 10 fillies entered for Saturday’s $600,000
Fantasy (G3) at Oaklawn Park. The 1 1/16-mile race is worth a combined 200
points (100-40-30-20-10 scale) as a major qualifier in the Road
to the Kentucky Oaks series.

Here are three talking points for the Fantasy.

1. Wet
Paint may get fast conditions for late kick

Wet Paint brought
a lethal turn of foot to the Honeybee and Martha Washington at
Oaklawn Park, rallying from far back to win going away by open lengths. The
fast-closing filly is unbeaten from three starts on a main track, sustaining her
only setbacks on turf and synthetic, but has caught wet conditions every time.

There’s no denying her class, and Wet Paint appears well-built
for longer distances, but the Brad Cox-trained daughter of Blame must still prove
herself in fast conditions. Favorable conditions are forecasted for Hot
Springs, Arkansas on Saturday, and Wet Paint will look to keep rolling as a
heavy favorite with Flavien Prat.

2 Condensation,
Grand Love among Honeybee returnees

Along with Wet Paint, Honeybee runner-up Condensation and third Grand Love are back for the Fantasy. A
total of seven contestants will return from
the Feb. 25 Honeybee.

Condensation held well for second after setting the pace in
the Honeybee, and her best races have been since Chris Hartmann stretched her out in
distance for the last two starts. A Grade 3-placed juvenile, Grand Love was
making her first start in the Honeybee since a sixth in the Breeders’ Cup
Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Keeneland, and the Gun Runner filly is eligible to show
more in her second start back for Steve Asmussen.

Towhead (fifth), Take Charge Briana (seventh), Olivia Twist (eighth), and Taxed (ninth) round out the Honeybee
alumni.

3. Royal
Spa, She’s Lookin Lucky the new faces

Royal Spa merits
serious respect after opening the year with a sharp allowance win at Oaklawn on
March 2, scoring by about two lengths as the odds-on favorite. A debut maiden
winner at Churchill Downs last November, the Rodolphe Brisset trainee has won
two of three outings, recording a fourth in the Demoiselle (G2) at Aqueduct last
December. Ricardo Santana Jr. retains the assignment on the up-and-coming
daughter of Violence.

A 13-length maiden winner at Fair Grounds two back, She’s Lookin Lucky will make her initial
stakes attempt following a runner-up effort in a March 5 allowance at Oaklawn.