Halina’s Forte Second Choice in ML

BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Multiple graded stakes-winner R Disaster is the 9-5 morning line choice to win her third straight when she faces nine other fillies and mares in the $300,000 Dream Supreme Stakes (Listed) at Churchill Downs Saturday. Rigney Racing’s Halina’s Forte is the 7-2 second choice in the six-furlong test that presents a rematch of the two Florida-bred fillies that made up the exacta in the Grade 2 Honorable Miss at Saratoga Race Course in July.

R Disaster finished a half-length behind Halina’s Forte in the Honorable Miss, run over a sloppy six furlongs, but has not lost since. In her next race, the bay daughter of Ocala Stud stallion Awesome Slew won an upper level, $100,000 optional claiming on Aug. 20, again over a sloppy six furlongs at Saratoga, leading from start to finish to win by a length. She improved on a fast track in her last race with a three-and-a-half-length score in the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom during the Belmont at Big A meet at Aqueduct on Sept. 27, again winning from flag to finish.

 

R Disaster is owned by Rich Averill’s Averill Racing LLC, Jayson Werth’s Two Eight Racing LLC and Anthony Mattera’s ATM Racing and has earned $563,680. Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., she has never finished out of the top two with seven wins and five seconds in 12 outings.

Bred in Florida by Ocala Stud and J. Michael O’Farrell Jr., R Disaster is out of Making Havoc, by Gottcha Gold.

Jose Ortiz, who has ridden R Disaster in three of her last four starts including a second to Haulin Ice in the Grade 3 Vagrancy during the Belmont at Big A meet in May, will again be in the saddle. R Disaster will start from post seven.

Trainer Philip Bauer tries to return Halina’s Forte to her Honorable Miss form after two subpar efforts since. She had an excuse when fifth in the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Ballerina going seven furlongs on Aug. 23 at Saratoga as she was bumped at the start of that seven-furlong affair won by Hope Road. She makes her first start since seventh in the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America at Keeneland on Oct. 4. 

Halina’s Forte is by Mitole out of Lunarlady, by Yes It’s True and was bred by Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt and Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck. She too has a consistent top three record of six wins, three seconds and two thirds in 16 starts with earnings of $550,200.

Halina’s Forte was a $250,000 selection by Chenworth Run Stables out of the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Select Yearling Sale where she was consigned by Woodford Thoroughbreds. Woodford bought her for $130,000 out of the Vanlangendonck’s Summerfield consignment at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Winter Mixed Sales in January of 2022.

Irad Ortiz Jr. guides Halina’s Forte from the outside post 10.

Rounding out the field are Sudden Switch with Axel Concepcion taking the call, Frankie Pennington rides Taliesin, Jersey Pearl with jockey Francisco Arrieta, Hillerito will have Tyler Gaffalione up, Top and rider Fernando De La Cruz, Tapit Quick has Cristian Torres named to ride, Luan Machado will take the reins for Marmalade Skye and Luis Saez rides Mink’s Palace.

Return to the November 7 issue of Wire to Wire