Consistent Takethemoneyhoney, Passage East fire in Laurel races
The Biz
January 18, 2026
Bob Krangel says he’s been “lucky as hell” with Takethemoneyhoney, while Hugh McMahon says that “divine supervision” has had much to do with Passage East’s success. Heaven or hell, the results spoke for themselves Saturday at Laurel Park.
Takethemoneyhoney has never been worse than second in eight career starts, while Passage East has been in the top three in all 13 of her career outings.
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Takethemoneyhoney delivered a dominant performance in the $100,000 Geisha Stakes, cruising to a 6¼-length victory as the overwhelming favorite. Ridden by Eliseo Ruiz, the 5-year-old mare slipped clear on the far turn and was never threatened, completing the mile in 1:38.81.
The win was her third stakes score and sixth victory from just eight starts, continuing a remarkable run for the Maryland-bred trained by Michael Moore, despite periodic soundness setbacks. She has earned over $311,000.
Breeder and co-owner Krangel, whose small New Jersey-based Kasey K operation has produced outsized results, also sent out $788,000 earner Twisted Ride on the same card. The explanation for their accomplishments remains simple, Krangel said.
“People think that I know what I’m doing,” he joked. “We’re just lucky as hell.”
Earlier on the card, Passage East extended her own winning arc by taking the $100,000 What a Summer Overnight Handicap at six furlongs. Claimed for $30,000 by McMahon last winter, the Kentucky-bred filly stalked the pace before asserting herself in the stretch to defeat Dwelling Legacy by three-quarters of a length in 1:11.90.
The victory pushed her post-claim earnings beyond $350,000 and marked yet another step forward in a campaign defined by consistency and careful placement.
She has seven wins from 13 career starts and has never been worse than third.
McMahon, unapologetically spiritual in his outlook, credited forces beyond the condition book.
“I’ve been careful with the filly, with a bit of divine supervision,” he said. “You can only calculate so much. There are a lot of variables that are invisible, left in the unseen realm. I’m a man of prayer. We’ve been led from one race to another.”
Different paths, different philosophies, and the same result: two standout performances from horses that always seem to fire.
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