Von Hemel nears milestone

Cosmic Burst represented trainer Donnie K. Von Hemel’s 297th career Oaklawn victory in Saturday’s Grade 3 $200,000 Honeybee Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles, according to Equibase, racing’s official data gathering organization.

Von Hemel started his first horse at Oaklawn in 1985 and won his first race in Hot Springs in 1987. Cosmic Burst, who races for Norma Lee Stockseth and Todd Dunn, gave Von Hemel his 25th Oaklawn stakes victory and third in the Honeybee, according to Equibase.

From the first crop of Violence, Cosmic Burst ($10.80) was coming off of a disappointing third-place finish in the $125,000 Martha Washington Stakes Feb. 10 in her 3-year-old debut. She had been previously unbeaten in three route races, including the $100,000 Trapeze Stakes Dec. 17 at Remington Park, but was racing over a sloppy track for the first time last month.

Although rain was expected Saturday, Cosmic Burst got a dry track and topped previously unbeaten Amy’s Challenge, by 1 ¾ lengths.

“I was suffering the weather forecast all week long,” Von Hemel said. “If you looked five, six days ago, it was 80, 90, 100 percent, whatever it was. And then each day, it got a little bit less. We snuck it in and got it done.”

Cosmic Burst, who was ridden by Richard Eramia, has a 4-1-1 record from six starts and career earnings of $267,080.

Von Hemel said Cosmic Burst will be pointed for the Grade 3 $400,000 Fantasy Stakes on April 13, the final local prep for the Grade 1 $1 million Kentucky Oaks on May 4 at Churchill Downs. Cosmic Burst ranks fourth on the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard with 52 points after earning 50 points for her Honeybee victory.