By Ben Massam
Saturday's GIII Honeybee S. is a meeting ground for two 'TDN Rising Stars' shipping in from the East and West Coast in search of valuable GI Kentucky Oaks qualifying points. Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider's 'Rising Star' Elate (Medaglia d'Oro) captured her career debut by 12 1/2 lengths at Aqueduct Nov. 26 and the Bill Mott trainee recently chased Tapa Tapa Tapa (Tapit) home in second as the favorite in the Suncoast S. at Tampa Bay Downs Feb. 11. Making her second start with Lasix Saturday–as well as her second start navigating a two-turn trip–the dark bay appears poised to take a major step forward on her road to the Oaks.
“Claiborne, they've won pretty much every race you can think of, but one race they've never won has been the Oaks,” said Riley Mott, assistant to his father Bill Mott. “I think that is pretty high on their list, as far as goals. We think she's a filly of that caliber.”
Elate's greatest challenge may come from West Coast invader It Tiz Well (Arch), tabbed as a 'Rising Star' following a 10-length graduation at Los Alamitos Dec. 18. Conditioned by Jerry Hollendorfer, she followed that win with a solid runner-up finish behind her immensely talented stablemate and fellow 'Rising Star' Unique Bella (Tapit) in the GII Santa Ynez S. Jan. 8 and a recent 3 3/4-length score in a seven-furlong optional claimer at Santa Anita Feb. 3.
Tapa Tapa Tapa also ships in from Florida for trainer Tim Hamm. The trio of shippers will get a stern test from the locals, headlined by Chanel's Legacy (Dominus), winner of the Jan. 21 Dixie Belle S. and Feb. 11 Martha Washington S. The Iowa-bred draws the rail and figures to make use of her early speed going into the first turn.
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