24-1 Halina’s Forte upsets Honorable Miss at Saratoga

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

Owned by Regina Racing and 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 at the Spa. With Ortiz in the saddle again Sunday, Halina’s Forte earned her third career stakes score, having also captured the Ruthless in February 2024 at Aqueduct.

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“I saw us getting to them coming for home, and she just dug in. Pretty special day,” Bauer said. “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 in mid-pack. R Disaster showed the way while she was 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 1 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, who also 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 José 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 down the inside as R Disaster successfully held off her forwardly placed rivals through a half-mile in 44.50 seconds.

R Disaster traveled off the rail throughout and, Irad Ortiz 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 and 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,” Irad Ortiz said. “She worked the other day on this same track, same surface. She worked great, and it worked out beautiful.”

It was 1 1/2 lengths from R Disaster to the third-place-finish favorite Scylla, who was navigated inside tiring foes when making her late run. Jody’s Pride completed the superfecta. Striker Has Dial, Benedetta, Carmelina and Bauer-trained Little Prankster rounded 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 against the likes of near-millionaire Ways and Means in the local Ballerina (G1), a seven-furlong sprint Aug. 23 offering a win-and-you’re-in berth to the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on Nov. 1 at Del Mar.

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

With his family in the winner’s circle, Irad Ortiz celebrated his third graded-stakes win of the young summer meet. He won the Quick Call (G3) aboard Governor Sam on July 13 and the Shuvee (G2) with Leslie’s Rose on Friday. 

“It’s the best place,” Irad Ortiz said. “I enjoy my time here with them as long as they can be close to me, and (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.”

José Ortiz said Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained R Disaster, a dominant, last-out winner of the six-furlong Rehoboth on May 31 at Delaware Park, was game on the front end. Joseph 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 1 at the end there,” José 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 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.