BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Florida-breds Munnys Gold and Spirit Wind are the morning line favorites among eight fillies and mares set for the Grade 3 Honorable Miss Handicap at Saratoga Race Course Wednesday. While Munnys Gold is the 2-1 program favorite and Spirit Wind is listed as the 3-1 second choice, neither have been assigned to carry the top weight in the six-furlong contest with a purse of $200,000.
Accede and Clearly Unhinged are the co-high weighted fillies in the Honorable Miss, each at 122 pounds, while Munnys Gold has been assigned 118 pounds and Spirit Wind 120 pounds.
Trained by Todd Pletcher for Robert E. and Lawana Low, Munny’s Gold makes her second start of the year after winning a first condition allowance by two lengths at Saratoga on June 7.
Munnys Gold turned heads early with a 14 ½-length victory against special weight maidens in her first career start at Monmouth Park in June of 2022. Six months later, she won a Gulfstream Park allowance by six-and-a-quarter lengths before dominating the $100,000 Stonehedge Farm South Sophomore Fillies with a 17 ¼-length romp at Tampa Bay Downs in March of last year.
She then traveled to Churchill Downs to finish second to Red Carpet Ready in the Grade 2 Eight Bells presented by Sysco in May before finishing fourth in the Grade 1 Acorn won by Pretty Mischievous at Belmont Park in June. In her final start last year in August at Saratoga, Munnys Gold was third in the Grade 1 Test won by Pretty Mischievous.
Munnys Gold is by Munnings out of Haraawa, by Medaglia d’Oro and was bred in Florida by Nicksar Farms. She has won four of seven career starts with one second and one third while earning $375,400.
Irad Ortiz Jr. will ride Munnys Gold from post eight.
Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. brings Spirit Wind to Saratoga after winning the $100,000 Memorial Day Sprint by three-and-a-half lengths at Lone Star Park in her last start on May 27.
Spirit Wind won the Grade 3 Sugar Swirl at Gulfstream on Dec. 23 before being purchased privately by current owner Miller Racing LLC. She then finished third in the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie won by Red Carpet Ready at Gulfstream on March 9 before going to Churchill Downs where she was sixth in the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff on May 4.
Spirit Wind has won six of 11 lifetime starts with two seconds and a third while earning $445,090. She is by Double Diamond Farm stallion Bahamian Squall out of Sacred Psalm, by Awesome of Course and was bred in Florida by Jacks or Better Farm Inc.
Spirit Wind will be ridden by Mike Smith from post six.
Accede enters off a three-race win streak including a last out victory in the Grade 2 Bed O Roses during the Belmont at Big A meet on June 15 for trainer Chad Brown.
She started her win streak with a length-and-a-half victory against allowance fillies in October before resuming in April to win a second-condition, $80,000 optional claiming, both at Keeneland.
Accede is by Into Mischief out of Jibboom, by Mizzen Mast and is a homebred for Juddmonte Farms Inc. She has won half of her eight career races with one third while banking $373,650.
Flavien Prat will ride Accede from post one and they are 4-1 on the morning line.
Clearly Unhinged has won her last two races including a length-and-a-half victory in the Grade 3 Winning Colors at Churchill Downs in her last start on May 27.
Clearly Unhinged is trained by Steve Asmussen for J. G. Sikura’s Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings Inc. and Jarret Prussin. She has won four with two seconds and a third with earnings of $505,235.
Rounding out the field are Everybodyloveslinda with jockey Eric Cancel, Freedom Speaks will be ridden by Luis Saez, Sterling Silver has Junior Alvarado taking the call and Jose Lezcano rides Hot Fudge.
Five Florida-breds have won the Honorable Miss including R Free Roll in 2014, C C’s Pal (2012), Debby d’Or (2000), Nanneri (1993) and Funistrado (1987).
