The Honorable Miss Handicap – Grade II
SAR Race #6 6f Dirt Graded Stake
Purse $200.000 For Fillies And Mares Three Years Old And Upward.
1 Ms Joyce RNP Stables Franco M 122
Gets clear top weight but that is evened out with the ace draw so i wouldn’t be writing this in form filly off just because of the weight impost. Having said that 2 or 3Lbs in a handicap seem to mean a lot more here at HRP than they do in real life so she will have to be very much at her best to win. A very busy filly she has been very consistent in her 29 race career winning 12 with 5 of those coming on the dirt. Like most sprinters she can race on either and won the Colors very nicely on dirt before taking the Intercontinental on turf last time. A filly in form who has been wonderfully handled by her owner.
2 Jedediah D J C Racing Stables Velazquez J R 118
Another four year old she comes here in the best form of her career although it has to be said she was disappointing in the Bed O Roses Handicap last time. She gets a decent draw but for me has a bit to find to trouble some of these.
3 Christina G Mb Stables Saez L 119
Gets in with an attractive weight and a decent draw for a mare that has been good enough to run in the BC twice in her career. It is difficult to know where she will end up in running and looking at her previous runs a lot will depend on the early pace as to where she ends up early on. Two good seconds in her last two starts in handicaps she is close to a win in a race like this.
4 Storm Of Fire Mb Stables Davis D 118
Another from the top trainer that has very similar form to her stable mate being placed in handicaps in her last two starts. She was a little bit behind her stable mate in the Bed O Roses but gets a 1Lb advantage in the weights and that will make it close again. I think this filly make be on the up whilst Christina G may be on the down so i would side with her out of the two.
5 Pistol The Rat London Racing Prat F 118
This trainer has been pretty successful here at HRP from day one and has an improving filly here who has moved through the ranks recently. Her works are suggesting she can compete at this level but her form needs a jump to see her beating some of the more accomplished in the race.
6 Toothless Night Rider Stables Lezcano J 117
Not sure how this decent filly ended up with bottom weight but it certainly makes her a winning chance even over a trip we haven’t seen her run recently. She can sprint and has proved that in the past but her bridesmaid status has ended up with some of her best races being in defeat. The weight will help her find a the half length she may need so i would put her confidently in the top three.
7 Smoke Rising Rampage Stable Rosario J 118
There’s a form line here that has this filly very close to winning and that was last time out when third and just a half length behind Ms Joyce in the Colors. She gets four pounds from that filly for about a neck and that sort of swing says she should beat that one which makes her a very good winning chance.
8 Juilliard Mo Mentum Farm Gaffalione T 118
Less than a length behind Smoke Rising and Ms Joyce in the Colors she followed that up with another close finish in the Princess Rooney so is clearly very close to being good enough here. The draw may see her go back early which may spell trouble as she tends to close a little too late and that may be the case again today.
9 Catch The Trip Gdp Inc Carmouche K 117
A fairly lightly raced five year old who has yet to break through at this level, her job will be made all the harder by the car park draw. A bit of improvement in her works recently is promising and she gets joint bottom weight here which is also a plus. Not out of it.
SUMMARY
Handicaps are always tricky affairs but one player that knows how to win them is Mb Stables and both his entries has a major chance in this. I think Toothless will run well but she may not have quite enough to beat Storm Of Fire.
Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES
