BY GULFSTREAM PARK PRESS OFFICE (Edited)

Troy Johnson, Wendell Yates and Robert Fritts’ promising Florida-bred juvenile Hot Rod Honey, undefeated winner of the $100,000 Sharp Susan against open company July 3, is being pointed to a return against fellow Florida-breds in the $100,000 FHBPA Scandalous Act set for August 8 at Gulfstream Park.

The Scandalous Act for 2-year-old fillies is joined on the August 8 program by the $100,000 FHBPA In Summation for 2-year-olds, both sprinting six furlongs on the main track.

Bred by the Estate of Brereton C. Jones and trained by Carlos David, Hot Rod Honey ran her record to two wins in as many starts with a dominant four-and-a-half-length victory in the $96,500 Sharp Susan, contested at five-and-a-half furlongs. The daughter of first-year Ocala Stud sire Roadster debuted with a popular length-and-a-quarter maiden special weight triumph going five furlongs against Florida-breds on June 5.

“We’re going to point to the Florida-bred stake the first week of August. That’s where we’re going to go with her,” David said. “She came out of the last race in good form, so that’s where she’s going to go.”

Hot Rod Honey made a three-wide bid to win her unveiling and was again on the outside coming into the stretch of the Sharp Susan before jockey Leonel Reyes angled her inside where she finished stoutly to put away pacesetter Columbina and draw clear.

“I knew I’d win the maiden with her, but I didn’t know if she could beat winners the next time out. After I saw the field, I was pretty confident she had a good shot,” David said. “She didn’t get the best post position in that race coming out of the one-hole because she doesn’t have that really fast early speed, but I loved the fact that she can sit back and relax and then finish up well.”

Purchased for $27,000 at Keeneland’s November 2024 breeding stock sale, Hot Rod Honey had five works at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream Park’s satellite training facility in Palm Beach County, for her debut, and another two heading into the Sharp Susan. The Scandalous Act would be her third race in nine weeks.

“They’re still young so we’ve just got to give her proper time between races and make sure she’s healthy and gaining weight and that she doesn’t get sick and she has no problems with her legs and then she can keep going,” David said. “I think she’s going to stretch out well.”

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