After scoring the Honorable Miss in July Halina’s Forte among contenders for the Ballerina. (Adam Coglianese/NYRA)
Saratoga Race Course Notes
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Rigney Racing’s Halina’s Forte is among an evenly-matched field of nine in Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Resorts World Casino Ballerina, a seven-furlong sprint for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, at Saratoga Race Course. The Ballerina offers a “Win and You’re In” berth into the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on November 1 at Del Mar.
Trained by Phil Bauer, the 4-year-old Mitole bay closed up the rail to launch a 24-1 upset last out in the Grade 2 Honorable Miss over six furlongs of sloppy and sealed footing on July 20 here. Halina’s Forte improved her record to 2-for-2 at the Spa, adding to a win in off-the-turf 5 1/2-furlong Galway last August.
Both of the aforementioned victories were under Irad Ortiz, Jr., who is slated to ride Grade 2 Chicago runner-up Claret Beret for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr., with Hall of Famer Joel Rosario jumping aboard Halina’s Forte from post 4, tabbed at 10-1 morning line odds.
“She’s doing great, and I think she’s earned a shot to try Grade 1 company,” said Bauer. “I’m happy with our draw. I think we can have a similar trip to last time, but the seven-eighths is a question mark. She did handle that early in her 3-year-old year and I think she’s matured and should be able to handle it again.”
Halina’s Forte’s best performances at seven furlongs include a 1 3/4-length victory in the Ruthless last February at Aqueduct Racetrack and a fourth in the Grade 2 Eight Belles the following May won by returning rival My Mane Squeeze.
“I don’t know if we’ll get the same pace scenario going seven furlongs as the Honorable Miss,” Bauer said. “I don’t think it’ll be quite as fast, but we’d like to see a somewhat similar trip where she breaks sharp, gets her legs underneath her, and comes with a late run. That’s what we’ll tell Joel and hopefully he’s able to save ground and find something late.”
Halina’s Forte is 2-for-3 over wet tracks among her 14-6-3-2 record with $526,450 in earnings.
“It looks like it’s going to be a beautiful forecast and she’s won on all different types of surfaces and tracks,” said Bauer. “She takes her race with her wherever she goes.”
A prospect on the Travers Day-undercard for the same connections is Tam Tam in Race 3, a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight for 2-year-old fillies. The Medaglia d’Oro bay will exit the outermost post 9 in rein to Jose Ortiz, tabbed at morning-line odds of 7-2. Tam Tam is named for owner Richard Rigney’s wife, Tammy.
Tam Tam was purchased for $975,000 at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale. She is out of the Distorted Humor mare Princess Julia and her second dam is dual Grade 1-winner Folklore, who captured the 2005 Grade 2 Adirondack here as part of a campaign that included top-flight scores at Belmont Park in the Matron and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies en route to Champion 2-Year-Old Filly honors.
“She continues to impress in the mornings,” said Bauer. “She is continually growing. She has gotten a lot of leg added to her here in the last few months. My only concern is that she’s probably been outworking some horses that probably just aren’t as good as her, so how good is she? We’ll find out. The race is all first-time starters, so you don’t know.”
