Minit to Stardom Wires Honorable Miss at 20-1
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Photo: Coglianese Photos
Minit to Stardom wins the Honorable Miss Handicap at Saratoga Race Course
Brittlyn Stable's homebred Minit to Stardom went straight to the front in the $200,000 Honorable Miss Handicap (G2) at Saratoga Race Course July 24 and, despite being the longest shot on the board at 20-1, the Louisiana-bred filly led every step and pulled clear in the stretch to win her third consecutive race since being transferred to trainer Jose Camejo.
"(Jockey) Alex (Cintron) and I talked all week about this race. He really knows the horse, and our game plan was to let her break, get comfortable, and for her to be where she wants to be," Camejo said. "She was really sharp today and did the rest.
"Initially, our plan was to run on the turf in the Caress last Sunday, but she wasn't really ready, so we gave her one last work and she worked good, so we decided to enter the graded stakes."
Wednesday turned into a family affair for Minit to Stardom. The 4-year-old filly is the first graded stakes winner for her sire, Star Guitar —a leading stallion in Louisiana and an accomplished Brittlyn Stable homebred—and her 3-year-old brother Star Fitzstall broke his maiden at Delaware Park earlier in the day.
Adding to the occasion was owner Evelyn Benoit's birthday.
"(July 24) is a big day in my life. It's the day I was born, and I had two Star Guitars, a full brother and sister, win today," Benoit said. "I couldn't ask for a better birthday and I'm so proud of Star Guitar. I always was a big fan of him myself, and today he got to prove what we knew all along: that he was going to be a great horse with a great future, and that his babies are proving it."
Minit to Stardom broke from post 5 under Cintron and set opening fractions of :22.49 and :45.19, with Humana Distaff Stakes (G1) winner Mia Mischief about a length behind in second. Minit to Stardom showed no signs of slowing down as she turned for home. The bay filly opened up by two lengths in the stretch, running five-eighths of a mile in :56.73 before completing six furlongs in a quick 1:08.81 on a fast track. She was 1 1/2 lengths in front at the wire.
"She went and got the lead so easily," Cintron said. "Today, with the pace like that, it was pretty easy for her."
Multiple stakes winner Chalon got up from fifth to snag second by a head over Ours to Run in third. Chalon has finished second in seven stakes, including the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1).
The favorite, Mia Mischief, was outkicked in the stretch and finished fourth ahead of Honey Bunny and Pacific Gale.
The Honorable Miss marked the second stakes win for Minit to Stardom, who won the Louisiana Champions Day Lassie Stakes at 2 with trainer Al Stall Jr., and improved her record to 6-3-0 from 10 starts, with earnings of $324,830. Wednesday's victory came one start after she tied the course record on Laurel Park's turf in a June 7 allowance optional claiming event, running 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:00.75.
Minit to Stardom is out of the Wildcat Heir mare Wild About Marie, a four-time stakes winner. Wild About Marie has produced six foals by Star Guitar, including a colt born Feb. 9. Her first foal, Wild About Star, won Pimlico Race Course's The Very One Stakes May 18.
Benoit called Star Guitar one of the smartest horses she has been around, and described that characteristic passing down to Minnit to Stardom.
"If you watched her in the paddock, she was impeccable," Benoit said of Wednesday's race. "She stood there, she just got here last night, never saw the track. It's an amazing thing. When they're perfect, they're perfect. She was just perfect today."