BY BROCK SHERIDAN

R Disaster, who completed a Florida-bred exacta at Saratoga Race Course in her last start when second to Halina’s Forte in the Grade 2 Honorable Miss on July 20, flipped the results Wednesday to top a 1-2 Sunshine State finish in the second race at the Spa. Ridden to victory by Jose Ortiz, R Disaster out-finished fellow Florida-bred All Class to win by a length in a first condition, $100,000 optional claiming as the heavy 2-5 favorite. 

R Disaster was the quickest of five fillies and mares from post three and kept a safe advantage on Striker Has Dial to her outside in second through quarter-mile splits of :21.93 and :44.59 in the six-furlong test. R Disaster turned for home a length in front of Striker Has Dial as All Class moved into contention to her inside after a ground saving trip. R Disaster tried to shake free in the run to the wire but All Class maintained pressure in second but could not draw even. R Disaster finished in 1:09.05 on the sloppy and sealed track with All Class second, three-and-three-quarters lengths ahead of Strike Has Dial in third. Legadema and Patricia Ann completed the finish.

R Disaster paid $2.80 to win.

Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., R Disaster improved her career record to six wins in 11 starts with five seconds. The $66,180 first-place check from the $116,400 purse increased her lifetime earnings to $436,180.

R Disaster is by Ocala Stud stallion Awesome Slew out of Making Havoc, by Gottcha Gold and was bred in Florida by Ocala Stud and J. Michael O’Farrell Jr.

In five starts this year, R Disaster also has wins in a first condition, $20,000 optional claiming in January and in the $96,000 Rehoboth Stakes at Delaware Park on May 31. The 4-year-old bay filly was also second to Florida-bred Nick’s Style in the Hurricane Bertie (G3) in March at Gulfstream Park and second to Haulin Ice in the Vagrancy (G3) during the Belmont at Big A meet in May, both at six-and-a-half furlongs. 

Return to the August 20 issue of Wire to Wire