Maryquitecontrary looks to get back on track in Honorable Miss

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Maryquitecontrary had a five-race winning streak snapped when she finished second to champion Goodnight Olive in the Grade 1 Madison Stakes at Keeneland in April.

Maryquitecontrary will try to start a new streak when she runs Wednesday in a short but solid renewal of the Grade 2, $200,000 Honorable Miss Handicap going six furlongs at Saratoga.

The Honorable Miss is the local prep for the Grade 1, $500,000 Ballerina Handicap here Aug 26.

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Maryquitecontrary, won six races from seven starts for trainer Joe Catanese, including the Grade 2 Inside Information Stakes at Gulfstream in January. Maryquitecontrary was then transferred to Shug McGaughey by owner Rodney Lundock around March.

Maryquitecontrary made her first start for McGaughey in the Madison, where she finished second to Goodnight Olive, the champion female sprinter of 2022.

“We were a little bit wide coming around the turn, I thought for a minute we were going to catch her, but the other filly had the jump on us,” McGaughey said.

McGaughey said when he got Maryquitecontrary back to New York at the beginning of May she developed a temperature so he backed off of her training. She returned to the worktab at the end of May and has had nine workouts since, including a half-mile in 50.24 seconds Friday morning over a muddy Oklahoma training track.

“I thought she’s trained very, very well,” McGaughey said.

While Maryquitecontrary won’t have to deal with Goodnight Olive, she will face another champion in the Honorable Miss in Echo Zulu, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2021. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Echo Zulu is coming off a 5 3/4-length victory in the Grade 3 Winning Colors at Churchill Downs on May 29.

Others entered in the Honorable Miss include 10-time stakes winner Frank’s Rockette and Dr B, last year’s Grade 3 Go for Wand winner.

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