How to bet With, and Against, Muhimma in the Honeybee Stakes

A strong field of 13 sophomore fillies will vie in Saturday’s $500,000 Honeybee S. (G3) at Oaklawn Park. The important Kentucky Oaks (G1) qualifying affair attracted a fine group, led by morning-line choice #1 Muhimma (7-5) from the barn of Brad Cox. 

Muhimma – With

• $1 superfecta 1 with 11,13 with 2,5,6,9,11,12,13 with 2,5,6,11,12,13 ($60)

Muhimma – Against

• 50-cent trifecta 11,13 with 1,2,5,6,9,11,12,13 with 1,2,5,6,9,11,12,13 ($42)

Unbeaten from a trio of lifetime outings, the gray Shadwell color bearer was perfect in 2024 and is the one to beat in her three-year-old debut. Purchased for $700,000 as a yearling, the daughter of Munnings dominated maiden special weight foes in a dash beneath the Twin Spires at first asking, prior to easily dispatching allowance runners at the same venue second time out. In her juvenile finale, the Kentucky-bred led at every call when passing the two-turn question in the Demoiselle S. (G2) at Aqueduct on December 7. Muhimma has posted six solid morning drills in advance of her return, and I expect the gray to be a formidable foe if she receives a sensible voyage from the rail with Florent Geroux in the stirrups once again. 

The value of the race could come with Fair Grounds allowance heroine #11 Anonima (15-1) for trainer Kenny McPeek. By Sharp Aztcea, the bargain $17,000 yearling buy wasn’t very impressive in her first two appearances but has shown major improvement as of late, which includes a maiden score on this surface. The Kentucky-bred dark bay has improved her Brisnet Speed figure in every lifetime run and will be a late danger with another step in the right direction beneath Brian Hernandez, Jr. 

#13 Five G (4-1), by fine young sire Vekoma, dominated the Cash Run S. at Gulfstream Park in her first route race on the dirt and figures to be a major player with a clean break under Irad Ortiz, Jr. The bay did little in a sprint debut showing at Saratoga in the summer, but she has responded to going long in a big way since that effort, and the homebred has trained in good fashion in advance of her graded stakes debut, as well. If the Empire State-bred lass gets away from the gate well, then she will be a menacing figure in the lane. 

The twice Grade-1 placed #12 Quietside (8-1), Martha Washington S. queen #6 Take Charge Milady (9-2), Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) third #5 Quickkick (12-1), Santa Ynez S. starlet #9 Look Forward (6-1), and sneaky recent maiden victress #2 Necessity (20-1), also merits respect in the vertical exotics.