Manuka Honey, who previously won the Ellis Park Debutante by seven lengths, settled in early and finished strong to overtake Scarlett Begonia and Miss Anna, winning Saturday’s $297,750 Pocahontas Stakes (G3) for 2-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs by two lengths. The Kentucky-bred filly covered one mile on a fast track in 1:36.90, maintaining her undefeated record for jockey Luis Saez, trainer Brian Lynch, and owners Lisa Lee, Jason Sciortino, William Lynch, Brian Howe, and Terry Hamilton.
A daughter of Upstart out of Drop Dead Red, a Hold Me Back mare, Manuka Honey earned $181,710 for the victory and now leads early in the “Road to the Kentucky Oaks” standings with 10 points. The Pocahontas was the first of 33 qualifying races for the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), scheduled for April 30, 2027, with points awarded on a 10-5-3-2-1 basis to the top five finishers.
Starting from post 2 in a field of seven fillies, Manuka Honey settled into fourth place, trailing early leaders Pierette, Scarlet Begonia, and Miss Anna by about three lengths through splits of :23.03 and :45.70. When Pierette faltered around the turn, Manuka Honey moved out wide to close ground on Scarlet Begonia and Miss Anna. Although still 1½ lengths behind entering the final stretch, she surged past them in the last 100 yards to claim her third consecutive win.
As the 4-5 favorite, Manuka Honey paid $3.92 to win. Scarlet Begonia narrowly secured second place over Miss Anna in third. Stripe Show, Betty Sue, For the Win, and Pierette completed the finishing order, while Sweet Kathleen and Tahaluf were scratched. Manuka Honey was bred by co-owner Terry Hamilton.
POCAHONTAS QUOTES
Luis Saez, jockey for Manuka Honey: “I’m really proud of her. She had to fight hard to get past the leaders and kept finding more for me in the stretch.”
Brian Lynch, trainer of Manuka Honey: “She really had to work today. There was a moment when I thought it was going to be tough for her. This filly puts it all together every time, and we’re excited to see her stretch out and aim for the Breeders’ Cup.”
(This story was originally published by Paulick Report on September 12, 2026, in their News section. Add Paulick Report as a Preferred Source by clicking here.)
Fan Take: Manuka Honey’s continued dominance as a young filly marks her as an exciting contender on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks, giving fans a promising storyline to follow in the 2027 racing season. Her ability to perform under pressure hints at a future star who could bring heightened attention and excitement to the sport.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
