By Joe Bianca
Power Gal (Jpn) (Empire Maker), a rare Japanese-bred to make an impact on American shores, will look for her second straight stakes victory at Oaklawn Park when she headlines a field of 10 in the track's GIII Honeybee S. Saturday. The race awards 50 total GI Kentucky Oaks qualifying points, with 20 going to the victress.
Fourth on debut last spring at Keeneland, the Gary Barber-owned dark bay graduated off the bench Nov. 3 at Aqueduct before running third in an optional claimer there Dec. 22. Hung wide on both turns in the Martha Washington S. here Feb. 2, she closed determinedly into a soft pace to prevail by a half-length. The runner-up that day, pacesetting Marathon Queen (Super Saver), also re-opposes.
Of the new shooters, Mark DeDomenico's Motion Emotion (Take Charge Indy) looms largest. A wire-to-wire graduate sprinting here Jan. 25, the $55,000 KEESEP buy stretched out to two turns with no issue Feb. 17, dictating a sharp pace and still drawing clear in the lane to a 6 3/4-length romp.
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