BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Rigney Racing’s Halina’s Forte raced past fellow Florida-bred R Disaster in deep stretch to win the $200,000 Honorable Miss (Grade 2), producing a Sunshine State exacta Sunday at Saratoga Race Course. Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. for trainer Philip Bauer, Halina’s Forte remained undefeated in two starts at the Spa as she defeated seven other fillies and mares going six furlongs at odds of 24-1.

Halina’s Forte won last year’s $139,000 Galway run at five-and-a-half furlongs after taken off the turf in August at Saratoga.

In winning the Honorable Miss, she paid $50 to win and the $1 exacta returned $79.75 with R Disaster going off as the 5-2 second choice.

R Disaster led Strike Has Dial by a length-and-a-half through a half mile in :21.72 as Halina’s Forte raced in fifth from four lengths back. Striker Has Dial turned up the pressure on R Disaster around the turn as Halina’s Forte used a ground-saving trip to move into a close up third turning for home. Strike Has Dial backed out with a furlong to run as R Disaster had a diminishing length-and-half on Halina’s Forte to her outside.

“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,” Ortiz said. “If I can stay on the rail, that would be beautiful if I can get through because I know she can do that.”

Ortiz roused Halina’s Forte to lead past the sixteenth pole as she drifted out but held on and won by a half-length in 1:09.87. R Disaster was a length-and-a-half in front of 6-5 favorite Scylla in third. Jody’s Pride, Striker Has Dial, Benedetta, Carmelina and Little Prankster finished in that order.

“It worked out beautiful, we got the rail open – I got horse, moving great so I go for it,” Ortiz said. “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.”

“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.”

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

Halina’s Forte has now won six of 14 career starts with three seconds and two thirds. Her only finishes out of the top three came last year when eighth in the Grade 1 Central Bank Asland at Keeneland in February, fourth in the Grade 2 Eight Belles presented by Sysco at Churchill in May and sixth in the Grade 3 Fasig-Tipton Dogwood at Churchill in September.

The $110,000 earned for winning the Honorable Miss pushed her career earnings to $526,450.

Halina’s Forte is by Mitole out of the stakes-winning Yes It’s True mare Lunarlady and was bred in Florida by Bill & Corinne Heilegbrodt of Houston and Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck of Williston, Fla.

The Vanlangendonck’s sold Halina’s Forte through their Summerfield consignment at the 2022 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Winter Mixed Sale where she went for $130,000 to Woodford Thoroughbreds. Woodford then sold her to Chenoworth Run Stables for $250,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Select Yearling Sale in July.

Winner of the 2006 Prairie Meadows Debutante, Florida-bred Lunarlady was bred and raced for the Heiligbrodts in the name of their Heiligbrodt Racing Stable.

She has produced six starters from 10 foals with four winners. Halina’s Forte is her only stakes winner. She has an unnamed weanling filly that is a full sister to Halina’s Forte.

The Vanlangendonck’s purchased Lunarlady out of the Woodford Thoroughbreds consignment for $7,000 at the 2017 Keenland January Horses of All Ages Sale. She is a half-sister to multiple Grade 3-winner Lunarpal, Grade 3-winner Astrology and stakes-winning, graded-stakess producer Lunargal.

Note: Halina’s Forte is the second consecutive Florida-bred winner of the Honorable Miss after Spirit Wind won last year’s edition for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. and owners Myron and Michelle Miller of West Palm Beach, Fla., in the name of their Miller Racing Stable. Five other Florida-breds have won the Honorable Miss including R Free Roll (2014), C C’s Pal (2012), Debby d’Or (2000), Nanneri (1993) and Funistrado (1987).

Halina’s Forte is the 46th Florida-bred winner of an open black type stakes in 2024. She is the 13th Florida-bred to win a graded stakes this year.