Shortleaf Stable's Quietside (Malibu Moon) had been knocking on the door of stakes success since she was tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' following her debut win at Saratoga last August, but finally the filly just broke the door down with an emphatic victory in the GIII Honeybee Stakes at Oaklawn Park Sunday. Five G (Vekoma) rocketed from her far outside post at the start of the 1 1/16-mile race and cleared the field, with Quietside, who broke just to her inside, shadowing her move into first turn. Favored Muhimma (Munnings), breaking from the rail, initially looked intent on challenging Five G for the lead, but was taken in hand and settled in third, leaving Quietside to prompt the pace through fractions of :23.19 and :46.87. Muhimma moved up ominously while three wide approaching the stretch and the three rivals turned for home together, with the favorite looking set to roll on by. Quietside, however, continued on resolutely, while Five G stayed on along the rail and the previously unbeaten gray filly failed to quicken and settled for third.
“I rode her with a lot of confidence,” said winning jockey Jose Ortiz. “I broke and made an early move to the first turn because I wanted to get a forward position. She was travelling good. I was waiting for the right moment to make my move. When I did it, she was there for me.”
With the victory, Quietside earned 50 qualifying points to the
GI Kentucky Oaks.
Of the beaten favorite, jockey Florent Geroux said, “The horse was a little bit difficult the first quarter of a mile. Took me a little longer than I wanted to get her to settle. But after that, I really loved my trip. On the backside, I was sitting third, perfect, letting those horses go. They went very honest fractions. I thought I was going to run them down, but I just couldn't.”
Quietside graduated by 6 1/4 lengths in her six-furlong unveiling at Saratoga Aug. 4. She was second behind Immersive (Nyquist) in the Aug. 31 GI Spinaway Stakes and was third behind that divisional champion in the Oct. 4 GI Darley Alcibiades Stakes.
Quietside concluded her juvenile campaign with a runner-up effort behind undefeated multiple graded winner Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro) in the Nov. 30 GII Golden Rod Stakes and was second behind Take Charge Milady (Take Charge Indy) over the Honeybee's track and trip in the Jan. 25 Martha Washington Stakes last time out.
“We had a lot of plans with this filly,” said winning trainer Johnny Ortiz. “We wanted to be very strategical with the training, due to the weather. It hasn't helped us a lot. It's one of the worst winters we've seen around the nation. We came up with a plan to get her down south [to Fair Grounds]. [Owner] Mr. John Ed [Anthony] wanted us to train down there. Got a work in her. Perfect trip. Got the job done.”
Pedigree Notes:
Quietside's victory put her one better than her dam, Benner Island, who was second in the Shortleaf Stable colors in the 2017 Honeybee Stakes. The bay mare, a full-sister to multiple graded winner Victim of Love and a half to graded-placed High North (Midnight Lute) and Ohana Honor (Honor Code), won that year's GII Eight Belle Stakes and was third in the GI Acorn Stakes. The 3-year-old filly is the mare's first foal to make it to the races. She has a yearling filly by Bolt d'Oro and was bred back to that stallion last spring.
John Ed Anthony's Shortleaf Stable purchased Benner Island for $200,000 at the 2015 Keeneland September sale.
Quietside is the 57th graded stakes winner for her late sire, Malibu Moon, and the 29th for her broodmare sire, Speightstown.
Sunday, Oaklawn
HONEYBEE S.-GIII, $500,000, Oaklawn, 2-23, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:43.63, ft.
1–QUIETSIDE, 117, f, 3, by Malibu Moon
1st Dam: Benner Island (GSW & GISP, (305,863), by Speightstown
2nd Dam: Spacy Tracy, by Awesome Again
3rd Dam: Tracy, by Theatrical (Ire)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN.
*TDN Rising Star* O-Shortleaf Stable, Inc.; B-Shortleaf Stable
(KY); T-John Alexander Ortiz; J-Jose L. Ortiz. $240,000.
Lifetime Record: MGISP 6-2-3-1, $552,200. Werk Nick Rating:
A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or the free
Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Five G, 122, f, 3, Vekoma–Triumphant, by Quality Road.
1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-Gatsas Stables; B-Gatsas Stable
LLC (NY); T-George Weaver. $80,000.
3–Muhimma, 119, f, 3, Munnings–Princesa Carolina, by Tapit.
($700,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP). *TDN Rising Star* O-Shadwell
Stable; B-Three Chimneys Farm, LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox.
$40,000.
Margins: 1, 3HF, 2. Odds: 10.20, 8.10, 0.90.
Also Ran: Necessity, Quickick, Anonima, Look Forward, Jenkin, Going Steady, Take Charge Milady, Gunite Max, Flash Wear, Classic Appeal.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
#12 QUIETSIDE ($22.40) earns 50 Kentucky Oaks points with an upset victory in the $500,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3 at @OaklawnRacing! @jose93_ortiz was aboard for trainer @johnnyortiz24.
This is the Malibu Moon filly's first stakes victory after four stakes placings. pic.twitter.com/If6ZFWw9ij
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) February 23, 2025
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