Honeybee Stakes 2024 | Oaklawn Park Replay [Kentucky Oaks]

The D. Wayne Lukas-trained Lemon Muffin won the 2024 Honeybee Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park, a prep race for the Kentucky Oaks (G1). The victory was jockey Keith Asmussen’s 1st in a graded stakes.

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Watch the race replay here:

The press release:

Two of the most iconic names in Thoroughbred history – Lukas and Asmussen – teamed for the biggest upset in Honeybee Stakes history.

With a maiden.

Lemon Muffin took command in midstretch en route to a 3 ½-length victory over Tapit Jenallie in Saturday’s $400,000 Honeybee (G3) at 1 1/16 miles, Oaklawn’s second of three Kentucky Oaks qualifying races.

Keith Asmussen, 25, rode Lemon Muffin ($58.20) for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, 88, who collected his record seventh Honeybee victory.

Tapit Jenallie finished a half-length ahead of even-money favorite West Omaha. Neom Beach finished another neck farther back in fourth for Asmussen’s father, Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, a five-time Honeybee winner.

Lemon Muffin, who is owned by Aaron Sones, earned 50 points toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Oaks, the country’s biggest race for 3-year-old fillies. The gray daughter of Collected had finished second in her previous four starts before breaking her maiden in the Honeybee, which marked the first career graded stakes victory for Keith Asmussen.

Lemon Muffin’s winning time over a fast track was 1:45.60. She has a 1-4-0 record from six lifetime starts and earnings of $305,250.

HONEYBEE STAKES QUOTES

Winning Jockey (Keith Asmussen/Lemon Muffin): “She broke ultra-alert. Settled very comfortably in the first turn. Down the backside, I had the biggest smile on my face because she was like a wave and she was begging me to push the button. I was trying to be as patient as possible. When I turned her loose, she exploded.”

Winning trainer (D. Wayne Lukas/Lemon Muffin): “I think I’m the oldest guy to ever win the Honeybee. I felt good about her. She was dying to go two turns and I knew it. I kind of handicapped her. I kept her short a couple of times. I’ve got to give credit to the owner (Aaron Sones). Aaron Sones called me and said, ‘Would you have the guts to put her in the Honeybee?’ And, I said: ‘Yes. I think that’s where we ought to go.’ So, he pushed me in that direction. I followed up on it and I loved it.”