SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – She hasn’t won in over a year and her last victory came going two turns, but make no mistake, Scylla is very much the horse to beat in Sunday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Honorable Miss Stakes going six furlongs at Saratoga.
Since winning the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis at Churchill Downs in late June of 2024, Scylla has been chasing an elusive Grade 1 victory. She has twice finished second in Grade 1 stakes, including the Ballerina held here last year. She was beaten one length when fourth to Soul of an Angel in last November’s Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Del Mar.
In two starts this year, Syclla ran over a sloppy track and into a razor-sharp Kopion when finishing fourth in the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs. Last out, in the Grade 2 Bed o’ Roses at Saratoga, Scylla finiushed a distant second to Ways and Means, who might have beaten any sprinter in the country that day.
The chase for a Grade 1 for Scylla likely leads back to a meeting with Ways and Means in the Ballerina here on Aug. 23. But trainer Bill Mott feels this could be a suitable stepping-stone.
“She’s not that heavily raced this year,” Mott said. “I think it makes sense to go ahead and run her.”
Scylla, who breaks from post 4 under Joel Rosario, has not raced six furlongs since she won her career debut by 2 1/2 lengths at Keeneland in April 2023. Her four subsequent victories have come from seven furlongs to 1 1/8 miles.
“I’d probably like her at seven or a mile a little better, but I’m not ruling out six,” Mott said. “She’s not slow.”
R Disaster is not slow either. She is 4 for 4 at six furlongs and has five wins and four seconds in nine career starts. She has two runner-up finishes in Grade 3 stakes and is coming out an easy win in the Rehoboth, a listed stakes, at Delaware Park on May 31.
“She did it as easy as you could win,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. “She’ll need to improve, but she always tries hard. She’s always been first or second so hopefully she can keep that record.”
Jody’s Pride won the Grade 2 Ruffian going a one-turn mile on May 10, but finished 6 1/4 lengths behind Scylla when the two finished behind Ways and Means. Jody’s Pride hasn’t raced six furlongs since she won the off-the-turf Matron Stakes in October 2023.
Flavien Prat, who rode her in all three starts as a 2-year-old – including a neck defeat in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies – rides her again from the outside draw in this nine-horse field.
“She worked really well with Prat the other day,” trainer Jorge Abreu said, referring to a half-mile move in 48.80 on July 13. “He said she felt pretty good and he had plenty of horse underneath.
“We got a good post. She needs to be forwardly placed. She’s not a filly that’s going to make a run and go by. She likes to fight. That’s why the one turn and keeping her short is going to be better for her moving forward.”
Benedetta comes off a runner-up finish behind Two Sharp in the Grade 3 Winning Colors at Churchill on May 26. Dylan Davis rides from post 8.
Striker Has Dial has taken a step forward since trainer Horacio De Paz added blinkers to her equipment. She won two allowance races at Aqueduct and was second to Zeitlos in the Skipat Stakes at Pimlico in May.
Trainer Phil Bauer has entered the uncoupled duo of Halina’s Forte, who won the off-the-turf Galway Stakes here last summer, and Little Prankster, a recent third-level allowance winner at Churchill.
Carmelina and Zadorsky have each won two straight races but are facing a class test in this spot.
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