The Honeybee Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies at a distance of one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt run annually in late February or early March at Oaklawn Park Race Track in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The event currently offers a purse of $750,000.

History The inaugural running of the event was on 1 April 1988 and was won by the US Hall of Fame trained D. Wayne Lukas and ridden by US Hall of Fame jockey José A. Santos, Lost Kitty who defeated the 1987 US Champion Two-Year-Old Filly Epitome by lengths in a time of 1:43. D. Wayne Lukas continued his streak in this event training the first four winners.

The event was upgraded to Grade III status in 1990. In 2003, it was downgraded to listed status and held this status until 2008 when it was reclassified as Grade III

The 2008 winner Eight Belles won the event as a short 3/5 odds-on favorite. Later that spring Eight Belles would be tragically euthanized after finishing second in the 2008 Kentucky Derby.

The 2020 winner Shedaresthedevil continued her good form to win the Kentucky Oaks.

The event is part of Road to the Kentucky Oaks.

Records Speed record: 1:42.61 - It Tiz Well (2017)

Margins: 10 lengths – Imaginary Lady (1989)

Most wins by a jockey: 3 - Donald Pettinger (2002, 2003, 2004)

Most wins by a trainer: 7 - D. Wayne Lukas (1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 2007, 2022, 2024)

Most wins by an owner: 3 - Fox Hill Farms, Inc. (2005, 2008, 2011)

Winners Year Winner Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade Ref2026ExploraFlavien PratBob Baffert Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman miles1:43.52$750,000III2025QuietsideJosé OrtizJohn OrtizShortleaf Stable miles1:43.63$500,000III2024Lemon Muffin Keith AsmussenD. Wayne LukasAaron Sones miles1:45.60$400,000III2023Wet Paint Flavien PratBrad H. CoxGodolphin miles1:45.35$300,000III2022Secret Oath Luis ContrerasD. Wayne LukasBriland Farm miles1:44.74$300,000III2021Will's Secret Jon CourtDallas StewartWillis Horton Racing miles1:44.61$300,000III2020ShedaresthedevilJoseph TalamoBrad H. CoxFlurry Racing Stables, Qatar Racing Limited & Big Aut Farms miles1:44.38$300,000III2019Chocolate KissesOrlando MojicaMark E. CasseDebby M. Oxley miles1:45.78$200,000III2018Cosmic BurstRichard E. EramiaNorma Lee Stockseth & Todd Dunn miles1:44.19$200,000III2017It Tiz WellCorey NakataniJerry Hollendorfer Tommy Towns Thoroughbreds miles1:42.61$200,000III2016Terra PromessaRicardo Santana Jr.Steven M. AsmussenStonestreet Stables miles1:47.14$200,000III2015Sarah SisJulio E. FelixIngrid MasonJoe Ragsdale miles1:46.94$150,000III2014† EuphrosyneRicardo Santana Jr.Steven M. AsmussenGillian S. Campbell, Ralph & Shelly Stayer, Dan Clark & Greg Skoda miles1:45.68$150,000III2013Rose to GoldCalvin H. BorelSal SantoroKathleen Amaya & Raffaele Centofanti miles1:45.06$150,000III2012On Fire BabyJoe M. JohnsonGary G. HartlageAnita Cauley miles1:43.64$125,000III2011Joyful VictoryMike E. SmithJ. Larry JonesFox Hill Farms miles1:44.83$125,000III2010No Such WordTerry J. ThompsonCindy JonesBrereton C. Jones miles1:43.74$125,000III2009Just JendaGabriel SaezJ. Larry Jones Cindy Jones miles1:45.95$100,000III2008Eight BellesJ. Larry JonesFox Hill Farms miles1:43.91$100,000III2007Time's MistressJohn JacintoD. Wayne LukasCharles L. Kidder miles1:45.49$100,000 Listed 2006ErmineCalvin H. BorelRonny W. WernerOxbow Racing miles1:44.48$75,000 Listed 2005Round PondStewart ElliottJohn C. ServisFox Hill Farms miles1:45.16$75,000 Listed 2004YoursmineoursDonald R. PettingerDonnie K. Von HemelStan Burnstein & Jim E. Nelson miles1:45.14$75,000 Listed 2003My Trusty CatDonald R. PettingerDavid R. VanceCarl F. Pollard miles1:44.00$75,000 Listed 2002BedankenDonald R. PettingerDonnie K. Von Hemel Pin Oak Stable miles1:46.41$75,000III2001Xtreme BidDavid C. NueschW. Bret ThomasGlen Hendon miles1:46.07$75,000III2000Fiesty CountessTimothy T. DoocySteven M. AsmussenHeiligbrodt Racing Stable miles1:44.60$75,000III1999Dreams GalloreGlen MurphySteven M. AsmussenKeith I. Asmussen miles1:43.49$75,000III1998Roza RobataFabio A. Arguello Jr.Henry B. Johnson Jr.Fletcher B. Clement & S. H. Mayes Jr. miles1:45.95$75,000III1997Valid BonnetTimothy T. DoocySteven M. AsmussenAckerly Brothers Farm miles1:43.60$75,000III1996JettoLarry MelanconDavid R. VanceCarl F. Pollard miles1:46.20$75,000III1995Humble EightDavid GuilloryJames E. DanaherDanaher Stables miles1:45.20$75,000III1994Shadow MissWillie MartinezPeter M. VestalJohn R. & Martha J. Mulholland miles1:44.60$75,000III1993Aztec HillAaron GryderThomas K. BohannanLoblolly Stable miles1:44.40$75,000III1992TotemicDavid Roy MillerThomas K. BohannanLoblolly Stable miles1:43.20$75,000III1991Be CoolDavid GuilloryD. Wayne LukasSugar Maple Farms & D. Wayne Lukas miles1:44.80$75,000III1990Train RobberyPat DayD. Wayne LukasOverbrook Farm miles1:45.60$75,000III1989Imaginary LadyJerry D. BaileyD. Wayne LukasLloyd French & D. Wayne Lukas miles1:43.00$75,000 1988Lost KittyJose A. SantosD. Wayne LukasEugene V. Klein miles1:43.80$75,000

Notes:

† Sugar Shock, was first past the post but was disqualified from her neck victory for lugging out and impeding runner-up Euphrosyne a furlong from the wire and placed second.

See also List of American and Canadian Graded races

External links Oaklawn Park Media Guide 2021

References