Margot Machance Can Improve in Honeymoon

Trainer Leonard Powell expects an improved result from Margot Machance in Sunday’s Grade II, $200,000 Honeymoon Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles on turf, and not just because she bobbled and jumped at the start when she finished fourth by less than four lengths in the Grade III Providencia Stakes on April 5.

“The bobble didn’t affect her that much,” Powell said of the English-bred filly owned by Alfred Pais of Santa Monica. “But the fact that it was a very slow pace, 48 and two, one-thirteen, and we were a bit too far back, that affected us.

“Nashoba’s Gold (the Providencia winner) got the jump on us; Diversy Harbor (the runner-up) cut the corner and we were shifted wide and that cost us at least a couple of lengths.”

Powell has a new pilot for the Honeymoon in Corey Nakatani, who rides the turf as well as anyone. “He’s worked her on turf, he knows her and he likes her,” Powell said.

The field for the Honeymoon, race four of eight: Nashoba’s Gold, Joe Talamo; Sweet Bliss, Aaron Gryder; One More, Mario Gutierrez; Honey Ride, Tyler Baze; Diversy Harbor, Gary Stevens; Margot Machance, Corey Nakatani; and Arethusa, Rafael Bejarano.