NBS Stable and Elements Racing's Danse Macabre made a bold inside move in the late stages of Thursday's $125,000 Glen Cove to earn her fourth career stakes victory in the six-furlong outer turf sprint for sophomore fillies at Belmont at the Big A.
Trained by Kelsey Danner, the daughter of Army Mule showed her versatility with her off-the-pace triumph, which was her first when racing farther back than third in the early stages. Last year, she came from 3 1/2 lengths off the pace to capture Kentucky Downs' Untapable by a nose, but needed to make up seven lengths in the Glen Cove to get up in time under regular pilot Adam Beschizza and return to the winner's circle for the first time since May.
“I was a little worried,” Danner said about being far off the pace. “She doesn't like soft ground and Adam said there's a lot of cut down there. She's just a nice filly. She knows what she's doing and she does it. She has a lot of heart.”
Danse Macabre broke evenly from post 2 in the 10-horse field as Zoinnocent broke slow to her inside and Determined Jester rushed up to assume command to her outside in company with Future Is Now and mark an opening quarter-mile in 22.20 seconds over the good footing.
The pair opened up four lengths on the field down the backstretch with Dontlookbackatall biding her time in third and Danse Macabre racing in sixth along the inside. Approaching the turn, Beschizza angled his mount a few paths out and coaxed her along as Dontlookbackatall inched closer to the pacesetters and Love Appeals tracked to her outside in fourth after the half-mile in 44.92.
Danse Macabre found herself three-wide in pursuit of the top flight entering the stretch with Determined Jester and Future Is Now beginning to yield to their oncoming opponents. Dontlookbackatall took charge past the eighth pole with Love Appeals putting in a serious bid in the center of the course, prompting Beschizza to ask his mount to duck down inside of the former for the final hundred yards to the wire. Danse Macabre responded with an impressive burst of speed to pass Dontlookbackatall in deep stretch and notch the 1 1/2-length score in a final time of 1:09.34.
Dontlookbackatall secured place honors by a neck over her oncoming Christophe Clement-trained stablemate Love Appeals with Personal Pursuit rallying from ninth late to round out the superfecta another 2 3/4 lengths back.
Lady Beth, Ticker Tape Home, Future Is Now, Beauty of the Sea, Determined Jester and Zoinnocent completed the order of finish. Also-eligibles Plentitude, Violet Gibson, Queen of the Mud, Gatita Suave and main track-only entrant Tappin Josie were scratched.
Beschizza, who earned his 600th career win in the Glen Cove, said the softer footing kept Danse Macabre from utilizing her usual prominent trip.
“She's a fast ground filly. When it's fast, I can usually sit there on the bridle close to the speed,” Beschizza said. “I'd say it was the soft side of good today and I was just wheel spinning and scrambling early. We were going a good honest tempo, so I was hoping it would break. The class shined through and she got up.”
Beschizza, who began riding in 2015, reflected on what Danse Macabre has meant to both him and Danner.
“She's done wonders for my career and Kelsey. The owner puts his hard-earned money into the game and he's getting his just rewards with fillies like her. For a cheap purchase she's definitely a diamond in the rough and an owner's dream,” Beschizza said of the $55,000 OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training purchase. “I can't complain, I've been on the back of her through losses as well and Kelsey still throws me back on.”
Danner added she has not yet made any plans for Danse Macabre's next outing.
“There's a few options this winter. I might just give her a bit of a break as there's kind of a lull of options right now,” said Danner.
Bred in Kentucky by St. Elias Stables, Danse Macabre boasts a graded victory after taking the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride in March at Gulfstream Park, as well as additional stakes scores in the Mamzelle in May at Churchill Downs and aforementioned Untapable. The talented chestnut banked $68,750 in victory and is nearing millionaire status with $927,090 in total purse earnings through a perfect in-the-money record of 9-5-3-1. She returned $4.80 for a $2 win ticket.
Jose Ortiz, aboard runner-up Dontlookbackatall, said his mount was valiant in defeat.
“Very clean trip, picture perfect,” said Ortiz. “We knew the winner would be tough going in, she's a very nice horse. I'm very happy with our filly. She's nice and she's proved that she's getting better each time.”
Live racing resumes Friday at Belmont at the Big A with a nine-race card that features the Grade 3, $150,000 Knickerbocker in Race 6. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.
America's Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of every day of Belmont at the Big A on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.
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