Come Dancing Back to Winning Ways in Honorable Miss
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Photo: Coglianese Photos
Come Dancing wins the Honorable Miss Handicap at Saratoga Race Course
Come Dancing appeared to return to her old self Sept. 6 at Saratoga Race Course, kicking into gear in the homestretch and putting away her rivals to win the $150,000 Honorable Miss Handicap (G2) under Irad Ortiz Jr.
The six-furlong dash for fillies and mares was Come Dancing's first win since taking the Gallant Bloom Handicap (G2) last September at Belmont Park.
"I was happy to see that Irad was able to get her to break and settle and he had her in the clear when he made his move. The track has been very fast, but I just wanted to see the old Come Dancing give us a run like the champion that she is," trainer Carlos Martin said. "It's very gratifying that (owner) Marc (Holliday) brought her back. A lot of naysayers were saying she lost a step, but hopefully she can come back and finish the year strong and we can be vindicated. I'm so happy for Come Dancing. She's a special horse for us."
Come Dancing was made the 6-5 favorite in the field of seven. She raced in fourth early and chased inside. Lady's Island crossed over from the outside post to lead, ran an opening quarter-mile in :21.64, and zipped through a half in :43.81. Blamed followed in second.
Lady's Island enjoyed a 2 1/2-length lead at the quarter pole, but Blamed and Come Dancing began to close in at the top of the stretch. She came under coaxing and floated four to five wide in the upper stretch. Ortiz guided Come Dancing through a gap between Lady's Island and Blamed on the rail and issued a strong challenge in the final furlong. Come Dancing drifted in under an off-sided stick near the sixteenth marker, causing Blame to pause.
Lady's Island was not done fighting on the outside, but with a final surge, Come Dancing propelled herself to a three-quarter-length victory. Lady's Island held for second, 2 3/4 lengths ahead of Blamed in third.
Come Dancing completed the six furlongs on a fast track in 1:08.74.
Come Dancing (inside) puts away Lady's Island in the Honorable Miss
Unholy Alliance, Pink Sands, Bye Bye J, and Pacific Gale completed the order of finish.
"I thought I had the best filly, so I tried to stay close and not give them a chance to steal the race," Ortiz said. "She broke good today. Last time she missed the break and today she broke good and sat a little closer, and I think that was the key.
"I'm happy to be back on her today. I haven't ridden her in a long time, but she's as good as she's ever been. Hopefully, she stays sound and healthy."
Come Dancing, a 6-year-old Malibu Moon mare, improved her record to nine wins and three seconds from 18 starts. She has earned $1,186,783. The Honorable Miss was her fifth graded stakes win, with her top effort coming in the 2019 Ketel One Ballerina Stakes (G1) at Saratoga.
The dark bay mare is a Kentucky homebred for Marc Holliday's Blue Devil Racing Stable.
"I race almost exclusively fillies. They get to a point where you feel like it's time and they want to go on and breed and move on to the next phase of their career. That was not the case with Come Dancing," Holliday said. "This horse is happiest when she is on the racetrack and when it's race day. She was on her toes today, and she knew exactly what the deal was. You can see it in the morning and in the paddock. This is a mare that just wants to run. I felt it wouldn't be fair to put the horse out to pasture a year too early.
"I hope to have Come Dancing babies for the next 15 to 20 years. We'll see what happens."
Come Dancing is out of the grade 2-winning Tiznow mare Tizahit, also the dam of unraced 2-year-old Come On Mike, a full brother to Come Dancing. Tizahit was reported bred to Constitution for 2021.