In a display of heart and determination, Explora  secured her first graded stakes win of 2026 in the $750,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3), March 1 at Oaklawn Park, earning 50 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks, bringing her to the top of the leaderboard with 95 points.

The 3-year-old daughter of Blame, campaigned by Michael Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman, also known as the Three Amigos, made her first venture outside California in the Honeybee. The Bob Baffert trainee was most recently second to Meaning  in the Feb. 8 Las Virgenes at Santa Anita Park.

Explora, with Flavien Prat in the irons, settled in comfortably behind the pacesetting Knickleandime , who set fractions of :23.45 and :47.70 through the opening half mile, before making her move coming into the top of the stretch to take the lead. The Mark Casse-trained Counting Stars  fought on gamely down the stretch, but could not reel in Explora, who won the 1 1/16-mile race by 3/4 lengths. The final time was 1:43.52.

“She was a real pro. We had a good draw,” Prat said. “She jumped well, and I was able to get her right off the pace and (was) traveling well all the way around. When she turned for home, and I asked her, she gave me a good run. And at that point, I didn’t think anybody was going to make a run at her, and Counting Stars came. And as soon as she felt her, she just regrouped and went on, so that’s a good sign.”

Explora paid $4 to win.

The Brad Cox-trained Sneaky Good  was third with Casse’s other entry, Martha Washington Stakes winner Search Party , finishing fourth.

Explora has never finished worse than second in seven starts.

“She was coming into this race the best she’s ever looked,” Baffert said. “We’re pretty proud of her effort. I was hoping that she would run that way, and she showed up. It’s nice when they run like you hope.”

Explora, dk b/br, 3/f
Blame — Collections Choice, by Bernardini

Owner: Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman
Breeder: Mesingw Farm, LLC (KY)
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: Flavien Prat
Information provided by Equibase at time of entry.

Pedigree Notes
Blame stands at Claiborne Farm for $25,000 (2026).

Sale History
FTMMAY2025 • $350,000 • Consignor: Crane Thoroughbred Services • Buyer: Three Amigos.
KEESEP2024 • $22,000 • Consignor: Warrendale Sales, for Mesingw Farm • Buyer: Rusty Roberts.

Courtesy of the Bloodhorse