Bell Tower Thoroughbreds, Medallion Racing, and Mark Stanton's Grand Job has danced with the best female sprinters in the country this year, coming up agonizingly short in her last two occasions.
Although, that proven class does leave the 5-year-old Justify mare as a standout among the seven entries in the $250,000 Honorable Miss Stakes (G2) July 26 at Saratoga Race Course.
She will not have to face either Eclatant or Ways and Means, who both defeated her by a nose in the April 4 Madison Stakes (G1) and June 5 Bed o' Roses Stakes (G2), respectively. Despite the losses, Grand Job still managed to acquire much respect as being one of the early season favorites for the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1), given she's just two noses short of being a perfect 3-for-3 and a grade 1 winner this year.
Yet, even with those strong performances, victory Sunday for jockey Junior Alvarado and Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott won't be easy as she still faces a quality lineup. Among them is millionaire Haulin Ice, the richest Arkansas-bred in history.
A graded stakes winner herself for C2 Racing Stable, WSS Racing, and Agave Racing Stable, the 5-year-old Coal Front mare has shown consistency with 12 wins and 18 total on-the-board finishes from 23 starts. At Delaware Park May 30 in the Rehoboth Stakes, she stumbled at the start and cost herself forward position. Although she made it to the lead in the stretch, it was too much to overcome and she finished third, beaten 1 1/2 lengths.
"Last time she missed the break, so obviously that didn't go well. She's a forward-running filly and she got tired," trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. "We feel like she's doing good, she's been up here (at Saratoga) for a little bit now, had two works. Grand Job is obviously going to be very tough, but our filly we think—at 6 furlongs—is pretty good, too."
LC Racing and Robert Reid Jr.'s Kappa Kappa ships in from Pennsylvania after schooling allowance foes at Parx Racing by 2 lengths in front-running fashion July 1. It was the Pennsylvania-bred daughter of Omaha Beach 's first win in three starts since taking the Raven Run Stakes (G2) at Keeneland last fall. The 4-year-old filly, along with Grand Job, carries the high weight of 124 pounds, 2 to 4 pounds more than the rest.
"We got off to a little bit of a rough start (to the year) in the Skipat at Laurel," Reid, who co-owns and trains Kappa Kappa, told New York Racing Association publicity. "Her last race got canceled and moved to a week later, but she got a nice race in and it should be a good confidence builder for her."
Although returning rather quick, Reid is confident that she came out of her Parx victory in good shape.
Also in the field is Striker Has Dial, front-running winner of the May 16 Skipat at Laurel Park; Maida, who won the Alma North Stakes at Laurel by 10 1/2 lengths June 27; last-out allowance winner Going Steady; and Do Gooder, who exits an eighth-place finish May 3 in the License Fee Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Saratoga Race Course, Sunday, July 26, 2026, Race 8Entries: Honorable Miss S. Presented by Mionetto (G2)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 Maida (KY) Sheldon Russell 122 Brittany T. Russell - 2 Kappa Kappa (PA) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 124 Robert E. Reid, Jr. - 3 Striker Has Dial (KY) Ricardo Santana, Jr. 122 Horacio De Paz - 4 Haulin Ice (AR) Flavien Prat 122 Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. - 5 Going Steady (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 120 Robert Medina - 6 Grand Job (KY) Junior Alvarado 124 William I. Mott - 7 Do Gooder (KY) Edgard J. Zayas 120 Jena M. Antonucci -
