No one could match Spirit Wind‘s speed in the $194,000 Honorable Miss H. (G2) at Saratoga on Wednesday, as the five-year-old led gate-to-wire in the six-furlong dash for fillies and mares.
The 5-1 fourth choice in a field of five, Spirit Wind maintained a 1 1/2-length advantage much of the way while setting fractions of :22.22 and :45.33. Turning back a bid from Clearly Unhinged in deep stretch, Spirit Wind held on to win by three parts of a length over a late charging Accede. Finishing third was Clearly Unhinged, who was followed by 3-2 favorite Munnys Gold and Sterling Silver.
With Mike Smith in to ride from his Southern California base, Spirit Wind covered the course in 1:10.36 over a fast track and paid $12. She is owned by Miller Racing and is trained by Saffie Joseph Jr.
“She was showing good energy warming up,” said Smith, who previously won the Honorable Miss in 1996 with Twist Afleet and in 1998 with Furlough.
This was the fifth career stakes win for Spirit Wind and her third since December, when she earned her first graded score in the Sugar Swirl (G3) at Gulfstream. She preceded this with an odds-on triumph in the Memorial Day Sprint at Lone Star Park.
“It was a big performance—six furlongs, I think she’s as good as any. Unfortunately, most of the races are seven furlongs for the fillies, so that’s kind of unfortunate for her,” Joseph said.
Bred in Florida by Jacks or Better Farm, Spirit Wind is by Bahamian Squall and out of the stakes-placed Sacred Psalm, a daughter of Awesome of Course who has also reared multiple stakes winner Sing Praises.
