In the days leading up to the latest renewal of the $75,000 Fancy Buckles Stakes for West Virginia-bred fillies and mares going 4 1/2 furlongs, trainer Tim Grams pondered whether one of his two entrants could win the race named in honor of one of his early distaff stars.

In a contentious group, much of the late wagering eventually landed on Mendys Honey, a four-year-old daughter of Mendelssohn trained by Anthony Farrior for owner Ultra Championship Racing and ridden by Arnaldo Bocachica. She went off as 1.10-1 favorite, while Grams trainees Maggie’s Girl and Moonlit Kiss were the second and third choices at 3-1 and 5-1, respectively. The speedy Stryda was the 8-1 fourth choice.

In the event, Mendys Honey ($4.20) delivered a thrilling off-the-pace victory under Arnaldo Bocachica. Rated early while tracking from mid-pack, the 4-year-old daughter of Mendelssohn circled the field four-wide turning for home, then drove through traffic in the final sixteenth to narrowly prevail in a determined late surge.

Bella Mela broke sharply and showed intent from the chute, setting a sharp pace through fractions of :21.53 and :45.48 while pressed by several runners, including Stryda and Dreamy Sonde. She kicked clear into the stretch and dug in gamely but couldn’t hold off the winner late, settling for second at 13.80-1 odds.

Rallying from far back, Moonlit Kiss overcame a slow break to finish a solid third, launching a six-wide bid into the lane and sustaining her momentum well through the wire. Lightnin Runner pressed the pace between runners and held on for fourth, while Dreamy Sonde showed interest but flattened late after encountering trouble on the turn.

Final time for the 4½ furlongs was a swift :52.14 over a fast track. The $1 exacta (8–6) paid $20.20, while the $1 trifecta (8–6–1) returned $82.30. The $1 superfecta (8–6–1–9) came back $397.70.

A four-year-old daughter of Mendelssohn who was bred by James F. Miller, Mendys Honey now owns three wins from four seasonal tries and sports seven wins and over $230,000 banked from 10 career outings. In her most recent prior start, she was a never-involved ninth in The Very One on the turf at Pimlico.

“She just didn’t like the turf course at all over at Pimlico,” Farrior said. “So, just throw that race out. I thought she got squeezed a little bit down the backside [in the Fancy Buckles], but ‘Boca’ got her out of there and she settled in, then made her run on the far turn. She definitely likes the dirt races. She’s run big here and she ran big at Colonial [Downs, where she won an allowance/optional claimer].”

She now owns victories in both the Original Gold and Fancy Buckles Stakes, named for the fillies that finished first and third, respectively, in the 2004 running of the Cavada Breeders Classic in which Fancy Buckles was actually the even-money favorite.

Now the 2025 Cavada is the main target for Mendys Honey following her latest tally.

“She still has a non-winners of four allowance condition open, but her main target is obviously back here for the Cavada in the fall,” Farrior noted.

Bella Mela was very game in defeat, having dueled with Stryda down the backside through a wicked 21.53 opener, gaining a short lead on the far turn then rebuffing Lightnin Runner before finally being overhauled late by Mendys Honey. Moonlit Kiss, who also displayed a modest disdain for the Pimlico turf course while attempting The Very One Stakes, rallied late to finish third in a good effort for Grams, while Lightnin Runner settled for fourth.

One race earlier on the card, Party Time for Me (Anthony Radcliffe) just lived up to her role as the 6-5 favorite in a one-turn allowance dash for state-bred fillies and mares when she overhauled loose leader Boss Lady KP in the final furlong for a one-length score. A four-year-old daughter of Weave It To Me owned, bred and trained by Anthony Grigsby, Party Time for Me recorded her second win from six seasonal tries and seven outings overall by getting the 4 1/2 furlongs in 52.25 as the solid choice.

One race before that, Easy Pass (Gustavo Larrosa) forged a mild upset in a one-turn maiden special weight dash for state-breds when he gained command leaving the chute, rebuffed one foe on the far turn, then held safe 2-5 favorite Fiber Proof in the lane for a two-length score. A four-year-old son of Force the Pass trained by Janice Groves for owner Tim Groves, Easy Pass graduated in his fourth seasonal try and fifth outing overall by getting the 4 1/2 furlongs in 53.41 as the 5-1 third choice.

One night earlier, Spotafreeone (Arnaldo Bocachica) forged a mild upset in a two-turn allowance for state-breds in his belated seasonal debut when he rallied from off the pace while saving ground down the backside, collared favored leader Dadslittlehelper at the head of the lane then held safe Gimmesthatsugar late for a two-length score. A sophomore son of Warrior’s Reward trained by Jeff Runco for owner John Link, Spotafreeone prevailed smartly in his three-year-old bow and notched his second win from three career tries while getting the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:19.70 over a sloppy surface as the 5-2 third choice.

Although Charles Town will not offer a stakes race next Saturday when much of the attention nationally will be focused on the latest running of the Grade I, $2 Belmont Stakes from Saratoga Race Course, the Jefferson County oval will resume stakes action the following Saturday with the $75,000 It’s Only Money Stakes for West Virginia-bred older males competing in the one-turn dash distance in which the race’s namesake once held the track record.

The Fancy Buckles is named for the Grams trainee who, while racing from 2002 to 2004, posted four stakes wins and owned a 9-4-2 slate and nearly $280,000 banked from 17 outings overall.