Longshot Minit to Stardom shows her heels in Honorable Miss
SARATOGA SPRINGS >> With speed to burn in Wednesday’s featured $200,000 Honorable Miss Stakes (G2), the question was whether a front-running type would be able to separate herself from the others, or whether a fast pace would set the table for a closer.
On paper, Minit to Stardom looked like the speed of the speed, with wire-to-wire victories in optional claimers in her last two starts at Delaware Park and Laurel. On the other hand, the Louisiana-bred was making a sizeable jump in class facing such graded-stakes regulars as Mia Mischief - winner of the G1 Humana Distaff two starts back and the 6-5 posttime favorite – Chalon and Pacific Gale.
Minit to Stardom broke first and had to deal with Mia Mischief through a quarter in 22.49 seconds. Those two stayed in their relative positions into the turn, but by the time Minit to Stardom neared
the quarter-pole, the favorite had started falling back. Minit to Stardom’s lead was two lengths coming off the turn and stayed that way into mid-stretch.
Several horses, including Chalon and Ours to Run, looked as though they might have some run left in them, but no one made much headway. Hand-ridden to the finish, Minit to Stardom crossed under the wire a length-and-a-half in front. The daughter of Louisiana legend Star Guitar won in racehorse time of 1:08.81 over a “fast” main track.
“[Winning rider] Alex [Cintron] and I talked all week about this race,” said winning trainer Jose Camejo, who took over for Albert Stall Jr. this spring. “He really knows the horse, and the game plan was to let her break, get comfortable, and for her to be where she wants to be. She was really sharp today and did the rest.”
Chalon got up for second, a head in front of Ours to Run. Mia Mischief, Honey Bunny and Pacific Gale followed in that order.
“She went and got the lead so easily,” said Cintron. “Today, with a pace like that, it was pretty easy for her.”
The longest shot on the board at 20-1, Minit to Stardom paid $43.40 to win. A $2 exacta with Chalon was worth a generous $173.00.
Back to Camejo for the last word.
“This is super special because it’s the owner’s [Evelyn Benoit] birthday. And secondly, as a rider, I always wanted to ride here. This is super special.”