Finishing the week at the Spa is the featured Grade II Honorable Miss Stakes for fillies and mares four years old and up. Run at six furlongs on the dirt, this field of nine appears very evenly matched, with the 2/1 morning line Scylla leading the way. Three runners enter as the longest shots on the morning line at 15/1, with all entering off wins and each one showing the form to have winning chances here. Of those long shots, only Pennsylvania bred Carmelina has yet to capture a win at the Spa despite two tries. While she may be the biggest outsider of this field, her recent form at four years old could prove that she is on the cusp of a top performance and finally reaching the peak of her racing career.

Carmelina enters as a winner of two straight sprints at Parx as the post time favorite. Pushed towards the lead in those ones by Paco Lopez, she has found her best form and has shown clear improvement as a four year old. Luis Saez will take the reins from Paco, and figures to continue the aggressive running style that has helped Carmelina flourish of late. By Maximus Mischief – Complete St., by St Averil, this Robert E. Reid Jr. trainee has already run in two graded stakes at the Spa; one in each of the last two summers, and both ending in fifth place finishes. With a strong four furlong breeze over the Saratoga track on July thirteenth, Carmelina appears primed to keep her performances going in what will be her toughest test to date. Already earning $463,660 in her career, this filly has given owners Cash is King LLC and LC Racing LLC a great return on her purchase price of $44,000. With another strong finish here, she will break half a million and could be setting up Midlantic breds for a great Saratoga meet. Carmelina was bred by Lillith E. Boucher and breaks here from post five.

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