Stretching out to a mile for the first time, NBS Stable and Elements Racing LLC's Danse Macabre upset the field in the $200,000 Herecomesthebride (G3) for 3-year-old fillies going on the grass at Gulfstream Park Saturday.
Ridden by Adam Beschizza and trained by Kelsey Danner, the 12-1 Danse Macabre ($26.80) took the lead heading into the stretch and turned back a major challenge from runner-up Papilo, who was making her first U.S. start for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse and jockey Luis Saez.
This was the first graded stakes win for Danse Macabre, who crossed the wire in 1:37.27 over a firm turf course.
Danse Macabre, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Army Mule out of the Blame mare Sylphide, was making her first start since a third-place finish in the six-furlong Matron (G3) at Aqueduct on Oct. 8. Danse Macabre had never raced beyond six furlongs in her five-race career.
Cairo Consort, the 3-5 favorite, saw her rally come up short and she finished third.
The field was reduced to 10 runners following the early scratches of Frank Fletcher Racing Operations Inc's American Rockette and Three Diamond Farm's Tituba.
Danse Macabre was bred by St. Elias Stables LLC, also breeder of Dude N Colorado, who won the Colonel Liam Stakes earlier on the card.
Herecomesthebride (G3) Quotes
Winning trainer Kelsey Danner (Danse Macabre): “She's a fast filly. I thought she fit. Numbers-wise, she fit in here really well. The distance was the question. She's trained like she wanted to go farther. Her last couple races she wanted to probably go a little farther. I think Kentucky Downs probably plays like 7 ½ [furlongs]. She's got a lot of heart. She's just a classy filly. She does her job every day.”
Winning jockey Adam Beschizza (Danse Macabre): “When she won the stake at Kentucky Downs, that six furlongs there takes a bit of getting. She's not a filly that overly races early, so it was always in the back of [trainer] Kelsey [Danner]'s mind to step her up in distance. Especially off a five-month layoff, she could have come out here and really run too fresh and got tired but all credit to Kelsey. She's done a great job.”
“Kelsey said before the race, 'Don't go to the lead and if she gets beat, we learn nothing,' so I was a little bit fearful the first eighth of a mile. Luckily she's got a good mind and she came back to me. It was still a bit of a messy race, speed-wise, but she's got a lot of talent, good mind, and I think this year could be exciting for her.”
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