Sitting in the catbird seat behind a runaway pacesetter, Laura’s Light reeled in long-time leader Parkour in upper stretch and then held on to win the $101,500 Honeymoon (G3) by a neck under Abel Cedillo at Santa Anita on Saturday.
As much as 10 lengths behind Parkour through splits of :23.26, :46.98, and 1:11.66, Laura’s Light held a 1 1/2-length lead in mid-stretch and just fended off 19-10 favorite Stela Star in a time of 1:49.02 for 1 1/8 miles on firm turf.
Owned by Gary Barber and trained by Peter Miller, Laura’s Light paid $6.60 in the field of eight 3-year-old fillies.
Finishing third, a neck behind Stela Star, was 11-1 chance Croughavouke. Completing the order of finish was Red Lark, Guitty, K P Dreamin, Parkour, and Fashion Royalty.
This was the third consecutive stakes win on the turf for Laura’s Light, who took the one-mile Blue Norther S. in December and the 5 1/2-furlong Sweet Life (G3) in January, both over the Santa Anita turf. A winner on debut last November at Golden Gate Fields on the Tapeta surface, she preceded her Blue Norther score with a second-place finish to Alms in the Jimmy Durante (G3) at Del Mar.
In her most recent start, Laura’s Light weakened to fourth in the Mar. 14 Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park as the 9-10 favorite. Laura’s Light has now earned $214,370.
Bred in Kentucky by Golden Pedigree, Laura’s Light was a $95,000 Keeneland November weanling purchase. She’s by Constitution and out of the stakes-placed Light of a Star, a Muqtarib half-sister to multiple Grade 3 winner Summer Hit.
