Maida pulls away from Grand Job, prevails in Honorable Miss
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Maida was cruising on the lead through solid fractions in Sunday’s Grade 2 Honorable Miss Stakes at Saratoga when she was confronted by the heavily favored Grand Job at the top of the stretch.
Despite Maida’s strong race record - four wins from six starts - her connections knew this was going to be her toughest fight.
“When she came up to her, I said ‘well, here’s the test,’ " Brittany Russell, the trainer of Maida, said.
Maida aced it.
Though Grand Job ran with Maida to the eighth pole, Maida, under Sheldon Russell, had more left in reserve to pull away from the 2-5 favorite and edge clear to a 1 1/4-length victory in the $250,000 Honorable Miss. Haulin Ice, five lengths back at the eighth pole, rallied to get second, one length over Grand Job.
Grand Job was a Grade 2 winner who was coming off nose losses in her two most recent graded tries. In her only other graded try, Maida was a nonfactor in last fall’s Grade 2 Raven Run at Keeneland.
“She’s never had a horse like that come to her,” Brittany Russell said. “When she dug in, it makes you feel pretty good.”
Sheldon Russell, in particular, was feeling pretty good. Since his first ride here in 2011, Russell had yet to win a race from 15 mounts.
“We were getting to that stage where maybe it was me,” Russell said.
Russell has been the only rider Maida, a 4-year-old daughter of Improbable, has known. Maida used her speed to record a 10 1/2-length victory in the Alma North Stakes at Laurel last month, a result that put this race on her radar.
Maida, breaking from the rail, jet-rocketed out of the starting gate to open a two-length advantage over Grand Job through a quarter in 22.20 seconds. Grand Job, under Junior Alvarado, and Striker Has Dial, ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., were in chase mode.
Grand Job did get to Maida, but jockey Junior Alvarado said he had to ask his filly for more than usual to get there. Sheldon Russell felt good that Grand Job had gotten to, but not by, him.
“I was hoping it was him [Alvarado] and that he was running as fast as I was early so if he got to me at least he would get to me a little bit tired,” Russell said. “To know it was him makes me feel I didn’t go too fast.”
Maida, owned and bred by Harry Papaleo, went just fast enough, completing six furlongs in 1:10.43 and returning $15.64 as third choice.
The Honorable Miss is the local prep for the Grade 1 Ballerina on Aug. 29. That race is expected to draw top female sprinters Ways and Means, Splendora and R Disaster. Maida could be there, too, but Brittany Russell wasn’t thinking that far ahead.
“I’m going to stay really grounded, I’m just going to enjoy today,” she said. “I’m going to try and keep this filly healthy and, look, you hope she can continue to stay on this path.”
Haulin Ice, who typically had been part of the early pace in her races, showed a new dimension by rallying from off the pace to be a good second.
“The first part, it felt like they were going quick, I was happy where I was,” jockey Flavien Prat said. “She was traveling good and relaxed, then we hit the turn and she probably had never been in that position. It took her a little bit to get going, then she finally made a good run.”
Grand Job did not make as good a run as she did in the Bed o’ Roses and Derby City Distaff and ended up third, beaten 2 1/4 lengths.
“I don’t know today what was her deal, she felt good in the post parade, everything was good, when we turned for home that was not anywhere close to what she normally does,” Alvarado said. “She fights and she didn’t have any of that today.”
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