Merry Meadow taking shot in Ballerina

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Merry Meadow, the winner of the Grade 2 Princess Rooney at Gulfstream Park on July 5, will make her next start in Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Ballerina Stakes, trainer Mark Hennig said Monday.

Merry Meadow, a 5-year-old daughter of Henny Hughes, has won four of her last five starts. Hennig had thought about waiting for the Masters Stakes at Presque Isle Downs in September.

“She’s doing so good,” Hennig said Monday. “She likes it here. I want to take a shot.”

The Ballerina field is expected to include Dame Dorothy, the winner of the Grade 1 Humana Distaff; La Verdad, the winner of the Grade 2 Honorable Miss; and Room for Me, Sarah Sis, Street Story, and Unbridled Forever. Kiss to Remember and Leigh Court are possible.

◗ Whitney winner Honor Code and third-place finisher Tonalist returned to the work tab as they prepare for future engagements.

On Sunday, Honor Code went a half-mile in 49.73 seconds over the main track. Trainer Shug McGaughey is still “up in the air” between the Kelso, a one-mile race, and the Jockey Club Gold Cup, a 1 1/4-mile race, both on Oct. 3, for Honor Code’s next start.

Tonalist on Monday went five furlongs in 1:03.40 over the Oklahoma training track. He is expected to run in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, but trainer Christophe Clement has not ruled out the Woodward here Sept. 5.