By Joe Bianca
It may only have five horses, but Wednesday's GII Honorable Miss H. at Saratoga is a very strong group, as three of the heavy hitters in the female sprinter division will knock heads in the six-furlong test.
The morning line favorite and leading contender for the Eclipse award right now is Paulassilverlining (Ghostzapper), who was just run down when second to subsequent GI Ballerina S. victress Haveyougoneaway (Congrats) last year. A four-time graded stakes winner for owner Vince Scuderi and trainer Michelle Nevin, the bay was bought by Juddmonte Farms last fall and earned game victories in the GI Madison S. and GI Humana Distaff S. this spring for new conditioner Chad Brown.
Nevin will get a chance to knock off her former star pupil with Jay Em Ess Stable's By the Moon (Indian Charlie). Fifth in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, the homebred hasn't been out of the exacta in four starts since, and picked up victories in the GIII Vagrancy H. and GIII Bed O' Roses S. at the Belmont spring/summer meet.
Carl Moore's win machine Finley'sluckycharm (Twirling Candy) ships out of Kentucky for the first time since finishing second in the GI La Brea S. Dec. 26 at Santa Anita. The dark bay, who had reeled off three blowout victories at Churchill prior to that, comes in with another three-race Louisville win streak, annexing the Roxelana S., GIII Winning Colors S. and, most recently, the GIII Chicago H. June 24. She draws the outside post, which could be advantageous in a race where jockey maneuvers may prove crucial.
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