Dettori, Honey Pants lead D’Amato exacta in Las Ciénegas

One of the four Phil D’Amato-trained entrants, 6-year-old Honey Pants and 53-year-old riding legend Frankie Dettori teamed for a gutty, head victory over well-fancied stablemate Elm Drive to take Sunday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Las Ciénegas Stakes on the downhill-turf course at Santa Anita.

Breaking from post 2 in a field of 11 older fillies and mares, Honey Pants was ridden aggressively from the gate and was a close fourth about four lengths behind Kissed by Fire at the half-mile pole.

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Dettori held his position at the fence and was 1 1/2 lengths off the lead at the dirt crossing as he waited for the pacesetter to drift out, which she did. At that point Honey Pants seized the initiative, taking the lead while tackled to her outside by Elm Drive and Flavien Prat. Together they raced as a team to the wire the final furlong with Honey Pants proving gamest.

Most recently a troubled fifth in the ungraded Stormy Liberal going five furlongs on turf at Del Mar on Dec. 2, Honey Pants was off at 19-1 and paid $40.40, $12.40 and $6.40.

Owned by Bakster Farm and Gerald Isbister and sired by Cairo Prince out of Afternoon Deelites mare Queens Carousel, Honey Pants was paired for the first time with Dettori on Sunday and notched her first-ever stakes win as well.

With $60,000 to the winner, Honey Pants increased her earnings to $357,406 from an overall mark of 22: 4-8-2.

Elm Drive, who altered tactics Sunday, rated mid-pack early but got what appeared to be a perfect trip with Prat as she awaited room leaving the dirt crossing and found a seam to the outside of the winner but couldn’t outrun her to the line.

The even-money favorite, Elm Drive paid $3.00 and $2.40.

Gracelund Gray, who sat third to the top of the lane with Juan Hernandez, was fanned six wide turning for home and appeared to have dead aim on the top two but couldn’t go with them late.

Off at 6-1, Gracelund Gray paid $4.80 to show after finishing three quarters of a length in front of France-bred Nadette.

The winning time for the race that went about 6 1/2 furlongs was 1:12.40 on the firm turf after early fractions of 22.17, 43.99 and 1:06.46.