La Verdad True Speed of Honorable Miss at Spa

A speedy group of seven fillies and mares have signed on to sprint six furlongs in the $200,000 Honorable Miss Handicap (gr. II) at Saratoga Race Course July 28.

La Verdad has sped her way to five victories in six starts this season for trainer Linda Rice and will no doubt flash quickly from the inside draw here. She has won four stakes races in a row, including the Distaff Handicap (gr. II) at Aqueduct Racetrack, and is an amazing 8-for-9 at the distance and 9-for-11 overall in her career. However, she faces the only horse to defeat her this year, My Wandy's Girl, in the Honorable Miss.

My Wandy’s Girl won the Barbara Fritchie Handicap (gr. II) at Laurel Park by a length over La Verdad in February and returned to run third in the Ruffian Stakes (gr. II) in her only start since, finishing behind Fiftyshadesofhay and Grace Hall May 11. Five-year-old My Wandy’s Girl has 15 victories in 24 career starts but has not won in two tries at the six furlongs.

R Free Roll is a threat to run early with La Verdad. She has fired to the front in her last three efforts, including a stakes win at Gulfstream Park. She’s another who likes to win, with six victories in 16 lifetime starts and four wins in eight tries at six furlongs.

Merry Meadow should be comfortably placed just off the speed. She missed by a nose in the Bed O’ Roses Handicap (gr. II) last out after winning the Vagrancy Handicap (gr. III) by 3 3/4 lengths in May.

More of that pace up front could be provided by Red Velvet, a front-running victress of the Jersey Girl Stakes in May. Red Velvet is the lone 3-year-old in the field, assigned 111 pounds, and will be giving experience to her foes as she has but five lifetime starts.

Calistoga was third in the Bed O’ Roses in her last start following an allowance score in the slop at Belmont Park. The Speightstown   filly could well benefit from the expected pace duel up front.

Speedinthruthecity rounds out the field. She won a minor stakes at Churchill Downs last out by daylight after failing to threaten in the Humana Distaff (gr. I) on Derby Day. The City Zip   filly has three wins in five attempts at the distance, and is another who will be hoping to pick up the pieces should the front-runners falter late.