Sent off as the longest choice in a field of five, Any Limit broke sharply and was aggressively sent to the front by Cornelio Velasquez, much like she was in the July 4 First Flight Handicap (gr. II) at Belmont. The only difference was the 5-year-old Limit Out mare had to hang on for a neck victory in that contest. In the Honorable Miss there was no doubt about it.
Any Limit completed six furlongs on a ‘fast’ main track in 1:09.98 for her fourth career graded stakes score. Zada Belle finished second under John Velazquez, a length in front of Graeme Six. Miss Macy Sue was fourth as the favorite, followed by Rite Moment. Akronism was scratched.
Trained by Allen Jerkens, Any Limit has made a remarkable comeback after suffering a serious foot injury last summer that caused her to miss 11 months of action. The bay mare made her comeback May 17 in the Upper Noosh Stakes on the Belmont turf, finishing third. After a well-beaten fourth in the May 25 Vagrancy (gr. II), it seems the Kentucky-bred has put it all together.
“Wire to wire, that was nice,” Jerkens said. “This was her first win here. It was one of the best fields for the Test (gr. I) when she ran in it (in 2006) and I think she ran on the turf here once. We’re going to be trying for the Ballerina (gr. I, Aug. 24) if she’s well.”
Now with eight wins in 21 starts, Any Limit has earned $523,138. She is out of the Forty Niner mare Clandestinely.
The decisive moment in the race was on the backside when Eddie Razo Jr. sent Miss Macy Sue up to challenge Any Limit, just as she hit a quarter-mile in :22.16. It was at that point that Velasquez let the reins out a notch and Any Limit began putting distance between herself and the rest of the field while opening up a length lead after a half-mile in :45-flat. When she hit the top of the lane she had a 2 1/2-length advantage and then poured it on in the final furlong.
“My filly broke good,” Velasquez said. “She went over to the lead easy. When I asked her, I still had a lot of horse. She can run.”
The winner paid $15.60, $7 and $3.10. The exacta (5-3) returned $67.50, while the trifecta (5-3-6) was worth $214.50.