In an impressive display of speed and stamina, Spirit Wind, a Florida-bred mare owned by Miller Racing, claimed victory in the Grade 2 Honourable Miss Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on July 24. Ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, Spirit Wind was able to establish and maintain the early lead, ultimately holding off a late challenge from Accede to secure her win by three-quarters of a length.
Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. expressed pride in the performance, noting that while Spirit Wind excels at shorter distances like six furlongs, many of the available races for fillies and mares are at seven furlongs. "It was a big performance," Joseph said. "Seven tests her, but at six she's as good as any."
Spirit Wind's recent success has also added significant travel points to Mike Smith's account. "Anytime Saffie calls, you just don't ask why. You just get on the plane," Smith commented, reflecting on his commitment to the horse and trainer. Before her Saratoga win, Spirit Wind shined at Lone Star Park, taking the Memorial Day Sprint Stakes decisively on May 27.
Despite being a star on shorter distances, Spirit Wind had experienced challenges at seven furlongs, including a sixth-place finish in the Derby City Distaff Stakes (G1) on May 4. However, her latest race showcased her ability to conquer the challenge, benefiting from comfortable early fractions.
"I was warming her up and she was just oozing confidence," Smith recalled. "I said, 'I ain't going to keep her off the lead today!' Sure enough, that's all it was—I just kept the weight on her back." Spirit Wind set fast splits of :22.22 and :45.33, allowing her to establish a 1 1/2-length lead entering the final stretch.
In the closing furlongs, Juddmonte Accede made a strong late charge from fourth place, but ultimately fell short. The final time for the seven-furlong race was 1:10.36. "Today, she made the lead pretty easy. She was able to hang on and get a big win on her résumé," Joseph added.
Accede, a homebred daughter of Into Mischief trained by Chad Brown, finished second by half a length, while Steve Asmussen Clearly Unhinged rounded out the top three.
Spirit Wind, now boasting earnings of $555,090, is the eighth foal out of Sacred Psalm, an Awesome of Course mare, and has produced eight winners, including the stakes winner Sing Praises. Her latest sibling is a yearling colt by Vino Rosso.