Wet Paint does it again in Honeybee

Fans could well have had flashbacks watching the Honeybee. The 1 1/16-mile distance was the same, and rain had again turned the track wet, but there were a couple of key differences from the Martha Washington. The Honeybee attracted a bigger, and deeper, field, and the Brad Cox trainee had even more ground to make up from the rear. 

The 21-1 Condensation controlled proceedings on the front end, as possible pace rival Effortlesslyelgant missed the break. Grand Love was another projected leader, but Condensation beat her to the punch. Grand Love ended up settling into a stalking spot, while Taxed advanced from her outside post to prompt Condensation. The pacesetter repelled Taxed and clung on gamely down the lane, as Grand Love tried to improve, and Towhead made a move on the rail.

Wet Paint remained in an unpromising position as late as midstretch, trudging on the inside and apparently not making much headway. Then suddenly in the final sixteenth, the daughter of Blame found an extra spurt for jockey Flavien Prat. Diving between Condensation and Towhead, Wet Paint splashed to a three-length score.

“To be honest, I was worried about how far back I was,” Prat said. “I mean, I didn't think I had much chance from where I was. She had to give a kick somewhere and that was in the stretch. On the backside I was galloping, but the problem was I was far back and it was a slow pace. But she finished up well.”

Wet Paint’s trainer also was not confident how the race was unfolding.

“Going into the first turn,” Cox said, “I was little concerned. She was pretty far back and taking a lot of dirt. She showed a lot of heart to be able to handle these conditions today. She showed she liked the wet track, and I think as the distances get longer she’ll keep improving.”

Condensation held off all other comers in a gutsy second, opening her Oaks account with 20 points. Third-placer Grand Love picked up 15 points to up her total to 18. Gambling Girl rallied to snatch fourth, good for 10 points, and she now has 21 to her credit. Towhead flattened out in fifth and received five points.

Defining Purpose ran fairly evenly in sixth. Next came Take Charge Briana, Olivia Twist, Taxed, Effortlesslyelgant, Bossladybailey, and Doudoudouwanadance. 

Wet Paint clocked 1:45.35 on the sloppy track and improved her resume to 5-3-1-0, $334,100. Her maiden win also came in the slop at Horseshoe Indianapolis, and her only losses were on other surfaces – a 10th in her debut on the Kentucky Downs turf and a second in an allowance on the Turfway Park Tapeta. 

The next race in the Oaklawn series is the Apr. 1 Fantasy (G3), but Wet Paint might head to Keeneland for the Apr. 7 Ashland (G1).

“The Kentucky Oaks is our goal,” Cox confirmed, “and I think timing-wise the Fantasy or the Ashland is the next logical goal.”

It’s ironic that Wet Paint is by Blame, who edged Zenyatta in the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), because the winner of Saturday’s Rebel (G2) on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, Confidence Game, is out of a half-sister to Zenyatta.

In another twist, Wet Paint’s own dam, Grade 3-placed Sky Painter, is by the same sire as Zenyatta – Street Cry. Wet Paint descends from multiple Grade 1 heroine Nastique, who won majors on both dirt and turf.