NBS Stable and Elements Racing's stakes winner Danse Macabre will look to make the grade in the $150,000 Matron Stakes (G3T) Oct. 8, a six-furlong outer turf test for juvenile fillies, at the Belmont at the Big A fall meet.
Trained by Kelsey Danner, Danse Macabre is one of three returning rivals along with Redifined (third) and the pacesetting Sweet Harmony (fifth) from the Aug. 21 Bolton Landing Stakes won by Love Reigns at Saratoga Race Course.
Danse Macabre exited post 7-of-9 in the Bolton Landing under Luis Saez, bumping with Redifined and Aztec Nights at the start before settling in fifth position as Sweet Harmony blitzed a half-mile in :44.87. Love Reigns, fourth in the Queen Mary (G2) at Ascot, took over with three-sixteenths remaining to win by 2 1/2 lengths over Danse Macabre, who was three-quarters of a length better than Redifined.
"She broke a step slow and then horses on both sides of her came in on her and she lost her position," Danner said. "Love Reigns is a nice filly, so with her loose on the lead it was all over after that. But it was a good recovery and she kept trying. I like that about her. She had enough excuses to throw in the towel—she got banged around a bit on the backside that day as well, but she kept running."
Adam Beschizza picked up the mount last out in the 6 1/2-furlong Ainsworth Untapable Stakes Sept. 13 at Kentucky Downs, tracking from second position and advancing with purpose at the quarter-pole to take command en route to a nose score over Alluring Angel, who rallied from fifth position after a slow start.
"She sat just off of it and dug in deep that last bit. It's probably as far as she wants to go, but she gutted it out. There's a 300-foot run up, so that's pretty much seven-eighths with an uphill," Danner said. "Alluring Angel broke slow and had to make up ground and we got the jump on her, but obviously Danse is tough that last eighth of a mile. She's all heart. She's not a big filly by any means. She's just fast and solid."
Beschizza retains the mount from post 2 on Danse Macabre, who graduated at second asking July 13 at Colonial Downs in her turf debut.
Team D's Redifined graduated at first asking in June sprinting six furlongs over the Belmont Park turf for trainer Tony Dutrow. The $150,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase closed well after being bumped twice out of the gate last out in the Bolton Landing, rallying from seventh to finish third.
Gatsas Stables, R. A. Hill Stable, Steven Schoenfeld, and Smart Choice Stable's Bayern filly Sweet Harmony made her first two starts at Monmouth Park, taking a main-track maiden special weight in June ahead of a prominent 1 3/4-length score one month later in the Colleen Stakes at five furlongs over firm turf. She is trained by John Terranova II.
Belmont at the Big A, Saturday, October 8, 2022, Race 6Entries: Matron S. (G3T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Dontlookbackatall (PA) Manuel Franco 120 Christophe Clement 4/1 2 2Danse Macabre (KY) Adam Beschizza 122 Kelsey Danner 3/1 3 3American Apple (KY) Eric Cancel 120 Daniel Leitch 30/1 4 4How Lovely (KY) Trevor McCarthy 120 Arnaud Delacour 8/1 5 5Fleetfooted (NY) Jose Lezcano 120 Joe Sharp 20/1 6 6Determined Jester (KY) Forest Boyce 122 Phil Schoenthal 12/1 7 7Redifined (KY) Javier Castellano 120 Anthony W. Dutrow 6/1 8 8Personal Pursuit (KY) Junior Alvarado 120 Mark E. Casse 10/1 9 9Sweetlou'sgotaces (KY) Dylan Davis 118 Raymond Handal 12/1 10 10Sweet Harmony (KY) Kendrick Carmouche 122 John P. Terranova, II 10/1 11 11Little Linzee (NY) Jose Antonio Gomez 120 Domenick L. Schettino 8/1 12 12Atomic Girl (NY) Jorge A. Vargas, Jr. 120 J. Kent Sweezey 20/1 13 13Apple Picker (KY) Dylan Davis 120 Rudy R. Rodriguez 6/1
