Keith Asmussen gets first GSW with Lukas-trained Lemon Muffin
Oaklawn Park stakes recaps by Robert Yates. Kurtis Coady/Coady Media photo above
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024) — 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 ($58.20) 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.
“She broke ultra-alert,” said 25-year-old Keith Asmussen, the son of Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, after earning his first graded-stakes victory. “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 a patient as possible. When I turned her loose, she exploded.”
Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, 88, 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. The Honeybee was Lemon Muffin’s first start around two turns.
“I think I’m the oldest guy to ever win the Honeybee,” Lukas said. “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 b**** 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.”
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.
RAZORBACK HANDICAP
Florida-based Octane surpassed $1 million in career earnings with a three-quarter length victory over Magic Tap in the $600,000 Razorback Handicap (G3) for older horses Saturday at Oaklawn.
Julien Leparoux rode Octane for trainer Juan Alvarado and owner Alan Cohen.
Octane ($13) covered 1 1/16 miles over a fast track in 1:43.57. The 5-year-old Brethren gelding was exiting a runner-up finish in the $75,000 Sunshine Classic Stakes for older Florida-breds Jan. 20 at Gulfstream Park.
The Razorback, Octane’s first career graded stakes victory, bumped his earnings to $1,011,355. He has won 8 of 18 starts overall.
RAZORBACK HANDICAP QUOTES
Winning Jockey (Julien Leparoux/Octane): “I just wanted to break sharp. The other horse (Promise Keeper) really wanted to be on the lead. I just wanted to be outside, in the clear. He relaxed good and at the end, he finished up strong.”
CAROUSEL
Heavily favored Zeitlos wore down Backyard Money in deep stretch to win the $150,000 American Beauty Stakes for older female sprinters Saturday at Oaklawn.
Ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, Zeitlos finished 1 ½ lengths ahead of Backyard Money, with Mucho Macho Girl another 1 ½ lengths farther back in third.
Zeitlos ($3.40) was making her stakes debut for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen and co-owners Stonestreet Stables (Barbara Banke) and Peter Leidel. Stonestreet also bred Zeitlos. The winning time over a fast track was 1:10.97.
Zeitlos, a 4-year-old daughter of two-time Horse of the Year Curlin, raised her career earnings to $419,085 following her fourth victory from 10 lifetime starts. The Carousel was her third consecutive victory.
Zeitlos represented the record-extending eighth Carousel victory for Asmussen and his 110th career Oaklawn stakes victory, also a record.
CAROUSEL QUOTES
Winning Jockey (Tyler Gaffalione/Zeitlos): “The race didn’t really set up the way I was expecting it to. I thought there would be a little more pace. We were kind of in a strange position about an eighth of a mile out of the gate. I decided to take her back and get her by herself, get her comfortable. She responded really well when I asked her. She finished the job well down the lane. She’s a talented filly.”
Winning trainer (Steve Asmussen/Zeitlos): “Zeitlos, the patience that (co-owners) Stonestreet and the Leidels have shown with her to allow her to get to this level is very exciting. Today is the best she’s ever looked.”
