War Dancer's First Winner Arrives at Saratoga
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Photo: Coglianese Photos
Step Dancer becomes the first winner for New York freshman sire War Dancer Sept. 4 at Saratoga Race Course
New York freshman sire and grade 1-placed grade 2 winner War Dancer sired his first winner Sept. 4 when his son Step Dancer won his debut by 3 1/2 lengths in a $62,000 maiden special weight on the turf at Saratoga Race Course.
The second-place finisher in the 1 1/16-mile race, Pivotal, is also by War Dancer and was making his debut, too.
"It's so exciting to have a first-time starter win, but to have War Dancer progeny take first and second—it doesn't get any better than this," said Robin Malatino, the managing partner of War Dancer's owning syndicate.
Step Dancer, bred in New York by Sugar Plum Farm and Richard Pressman, is the first foal out of the English Channel winner Just Be Steppin. The mare is out of the Indian Charlie winner War Indian, who is a half sister to group 1-placed winner and multiple stakes producer Khassah (Green Desert) and two other stakes-placed runners.
The first-out winner is owned by Hayward Pressman and Diamond M Stable and is trained by Barclay Tagg.
War Dancer, a 10-year-old son of War Front , won or placed in nine graded stakes out of 30 starts. His best performances were victories in the Virginia Derby (G2T) and Louisville Handicap (G3T). He was also the runner-up in the 2015 Man o' War Stakes (G1T) and was retired with $1,068,925 in earnings.
War Dancer stands at Irish Hill & Dutchess Views Stallions for $7,500.