Saratoga: Honorable Miss draws ultra-sharp cast

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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Any of the connections who thought Monday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Honorable Miss Handicap would be an easy prep for next month’s Grade 1 Ballerina were sadly mistaken when they saw the list of entrants in the seven-horse field.

Five of the seven fillies and mares enter the six-furlong race on winning streaks, topped by Dance to Bristol, who seeks her sixth consecutive victory.

In addition to Dance to Bristol, the Honorable Miss includes Glorious View, a winner of four straight, and Livi Makenzie, Munnings Sister, and Classic Point, each of whom has won her last two. Burban is coming off a stakes victory last out. Promise Me a Cat will be the longshot, having lost all six of her starts this year. She scratched out of Sunday’s $100,000 Regret Stakes at Monmouth Park to run here.

Dance to Bristol has won her last five starts over four tracks, highlighted by a 2 3/4-length victory in the Grade 3 Bed o’ Roses Stakes at Belmont on June 15.

“I think it was the best performance of her career,” said trainer Ollie Figgins III, who is starting just his second horse in Saratoga and first since 2006.

Prior to the Bed o’ Roses, Dance to Bristol won stakes at Pimlico and Charles Town and two allowance races at Laurel. Figgins said he likes the fact his filly drew post 4 and that there’s plenty of speed in the race. Xavier Perez, who is 5 for 5 on the filly, comes in from Maryland to ride.

“I just hope she gets a nice, clean break and can get a good stalking trip,” said Figgins.

Bill Mott turns 60 years old on Monday, and in 14 of the last 19 meets when racing has fallen on his birthday he has won a race here. Mott sends out Glorious View, who has won four consecutive races, including the Grade 2 Vagrancy at Belmont on May 18.

“She looks like she’s doing well,” Mott said. “She’s just gotten better and better. It’s interesting that it takes a horse eight or nine times to break their maiden then all of sudden they shoot up the ladder like she’s done.”

Glorious View has won three of her last four races on the front end, but did come from off the pace in an allowance win at Aqueduct in March. She breaks from post 6 under Junior Alvarado.

[SARATOGA 2013: Complete meet coverage, exclusive DRF videos]

Livi Makenzie, who finished fifth in the Grade 1 Prioress here last year, is back in Saratoga and comes off a win in the Saylorville Stakes at Prairie Meadows. She will break from the rail under Joel Rosario.

“I like my filly, she’s training better than she ever has,” trainer Ron Moquett said. “Of course, being in the one hole we need some luck, a good trip. I’m excited to see where she stacks up. I know she’s a lot better filly now than she’s ever been.”

Munnings Sister, trained by Barclay Tagg, won a pair of overnight stakes at Belmont. Classic Point, trained by Allen Jerkens, has won a pair of optional claimers, also at Belmont.