Halina’s Forte slips up rail to upset G2 Honorable Miss

Rigney Racing’s Halina’s Forte closed up the rail to launch a 24-1 upset in Sunday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Honorable Miss, a six-furlong sprint for older fillies and mares, at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Phil Bauer, the 4-year-old Mitole bay, with Irad Ortiz, Jr. up, won the off-the-turf Galway in similar but tighter rail-rallying fashion when sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs in August here. With the same rider in the saddle on Sunday, Halina’s Forte earned her third career stakes score, having also captured the Ruthless last February at Aqueduct Racetrack.

“I saw us getting to them coming for home and she just dug in. Pretty special day,” said Bauer. “Last year was a big moment for us, maybe a little easier spot but this proved her class and her talent." 

Halina’s Forte exited the inside post smoothly and settled midpack as R Disaster showed the way while stalked by Striker Has Dial, Jody’s Pride and Carmelina through an opening quarter-mile in 21.72 seconds over the sloppy and sealed main track. 

“I got the one hole, there was a lot of speed in the race, so I was hoping to break good and then bide my time from there,” said Ortiz, Jr., who won this race in 2020 aboard Come Dancing. “If I can stay on the rail, that would be beautiful if I can get through because I know she can do that.”

As the Jose Ortiz-piloted R Disaster took pressure from Striker Has Dial and Jody’s Pride in the turn, Halina’s Forte saved ground off the pace. At the top of the lane, Halina’s Forte improved up the inside as R Disaster successfully held off her forwardly-placed rivals through a half-mile in 44.50. 

R Disaster traveled off the rail throughout and Ortiz, Jr. asked Halina’s Forte to power through the opening at the top of the lane, collaring the pacesetter within the final furlong and driving to the wire for a half-length score in a final time of 1:09.87.

“It worked out beautiful, we got the rail open – I got horse, moving great so I go for it,” said Ortiz, Jr. “She worked the other day on this same track, same surface [half-mile in 50.56 on July 12]. She worked great, and it worked out beautiful.”

It was 1 1/2 lengths from R Disaster to the third-place finishing favorite Scylla, who was navigated inside tiring foes when making her late run. Jody’s Pride completed the superfecta, with Striker Has Dial, Benedetta, Carmelina and the Bauer-trained Little Prankster rounding out the order of finish. Zadorsky, entered in a local Wednesday optional claimer, was scratched. 

Bauer was proud to see Halina’s Forte avenge a half-length second to Faith Alone when making her seasonal debut in the Prairie Rose on June 6 at Prairie Meadows. 

"Coming up here, we were not concerned - just a different group - and we were hoping things would bounce our way,” Bauer said. “She took care of us today and at least got us off the duck. We'll see how the rest of the meet goes."

Bauer said he might consider running Halina’s Forte, possibly against near-millionaire Ways and Means, in the local Grade 1, $500,000 Resorts World Casino Ballerina, a seven-furlong sprint on August 23 offering a "Win and You're In" berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. 

“You have Ways and Means sitting out there...but if she continues to move forward, we might consider it,” Bauer said. 

Ortiz, Jr., with his family in the winner’s circle, celebrated his third graded stakes win of the young summer meet. He won the Grade 3 Quick Call presented by Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation aboard Governor Sam on July 13 and the Grade 2 Shuvee aboard Leslie’s Rose on Friday. 

“It’s the best place,” said Ortiz, Jr. “I enjoy my time here with them as long as they can be close to me and they [the children] are off school right now, so they can come over every day – not every day but they are here a lot, so I enjoy it when they come and God allowed me to visit the winner’s circle and get a picture with them. I love it. It’s what I’ve been living for. They are my world.”

Jose Ortiz said the Saffie Joseph, Jr.-trained R Disaster, the last-out dominant winner of the six-furlong Rehoboth on May 31 at Delaware Park, was game on the front end. Joseph, Jr. just missed a title defense in this race after winning with Spirit Wind last year. 

“She did everything right and just got beat by the one at the end there,” Ortiz said. “It was a little bit of pressure around the turn, I had like two horses outside of me, and I was waiting, but they kind of made me go forward a little, so that was the key right there.” 

Halina’s Forte, a $250,000 purchase at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Select Yearling Sale, is out of the stakes-winning Yes It’s True mare Lunarlady, who is a half-sister to both multiple graded stakes-winner Lunarpal and graded stakes-winner Astrology. She banked $110,000 in victory while improving her record to 14-6-3-2 and returning $50 for a $2 win bet.

Live racing resumes Wednesday with a nine-race card featuring the Grade 1, $150,000 A.P. Smithwick Memorial, a 2 3/8-mile steeplechase handicap for older horses, in Race 1. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern. 

Saratoga Live will present live coverage and analysis of the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule/.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Saratoga Race Course, and the best way to bet every race of the summer meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.