BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Florida-bred Halina’s Forte hopes to use her half-length victory in the Honorable Miss (Grade 2) on July 20 as a stepping-stone to Grade 1 success in the $500,000 Ballerina at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday. Owned by Rigney Racing LLC, Halina’s Forte is one of nine fillies and mares, 3-years-old and older, entered in the seven-furlong Ballerina along with fellow Florida-bred Mystic Lake.

Mystic Lake is also entered in the $250,000 Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon at Charles Town Races on Friday night where she is the 8-5 favorite.

In her second start of 2024, Halina’s Forte stalked from three lengths back in the Honorable Miss then used a ground saving trip to challenge fellow Florida-bred R Disaster in the stretch. She gained to lead past the sixteenth pole to win by a half-length, topping a Florida-bred exacta with R Disaster second. She covered six furlongs in 1:09.87 on the sloppy and sealed track.

 

R Disaster returned to win a $100,000 optional claiming by a length as the 2-5 favorite at Saratoga Wednesday.

In one other start this year, Halina’s Forte was second to Faith Alone in the $50,000 Prairie Rose sprinting six furlongs at Prairie Meadows on June 6.

Halina’s Forte is trained by Philip Bauer and counts victories in last year’s $139,000 Galway at Saratoga and in the $100,000 Ruthless at Aqueduct among her six career wins in 16 starts. She also has three seconds and two thirds with earnings of $526,450.

 

Bred in Florida by Bill and Corinne Heilegbrodt and Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck, Halina’s Forte is by Mitole out of Lunarlady, by Yes It’s True. The Vanlangendoncks sold her as a yearling for $130,000 through their Summerfield consignment at the 2022 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Winter Mixed Sale where she was purchased by Woodford Thoroughbreds. Woodford then consigned her to that year’s Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Select Yearling Sale where Chenowith Run Stables bought her for $250,000.

Halina’s Forte is 10-1 on the morning line and has post four. She will be ridden by Joel Rosario.

Other fillies entered include Mystic Lake with jockey Ricardo Santana Jr., Brightwork has John Velazquez named to ride, Kendrick Carmouche has the call on Majestic Oops, Claret Beret will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., Junior Alvarado has the assignment on Zeitlos, Scylia will have Flavien Prat up, My Mane Squeeze with Luis Saez in the irons and Jose Ortiz rides Hope Road.

Return to the August 22 issue of Wire to Wire