Crist: Honorable Miss preview

Today’s featured Grade 2 Honorable Miss at Saratoga looks like a showdown between the two obvious favorites: Judy the Beauty, last year’s Eclipse Award winner as champion female sprinter, and La Verdad, a six-furlong specialist with a career record of 13 for 19. They’re even-money and 8-5 on the morning line in a five-horse field without a plausible upsetter.

One could argue that they should be the same price, and I would not argue with anyone who says that La Verdad might actually be bettable if they’re giving you 8-5 on one side of a virtual coin flip. Judy the Beauty is the more accomplished of the two, with three Grade 1 victories and seconds in four other Grade 1s, while La Verdad has not won or placed above the Grade 2 level.

On the other hand, today’s six furlongs favor La Verdad, who is 10 for 13 at that distance. Judy the Beauty has not been out since Derby Day and might not be fully cranked up. Her primary goal at Saratoga is the Grade 1 Ballerina. Today’s race is La Verdad’s Ballerina, as she becomes shakier trying to go an inch beyond six furlongs.

Street Story, a reliable sort and a dual Grade 3 winner, is the obvious third choice. She doesn’t appear to be in the same league as the top two but towers over the bottom two, Enchantress and Ultimate Shopper. The New York Racing Association probably had to beat the bushes to get them to run in this seemingly hopeless spot. Neither has won above the allowance level and have been uncompetitive in their prior stakes starts.