Danse Macabre Easy Winner of Mamzelle

Danse Macabre  cut the corner at the top of the stretch to surge to the front en route to a 2 1/4-length victory in the $224,750 Mamzelle Overnight Stakes for 3-year-old fillies May 3 at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Kelsey Danner for NBS Stable and Elements Racing, and ridden by Adam Beschizza, Danse Macabre completed the 5 1/2 furlongs on a firm Matt Winn Turf Course in 1:02.98. It is Danner's first Churchill Downs stakes victory.

Sassy Nature  and Shootoutthelights  dueled for the early lead through an opening quarter in :21.95 as Danse Macabre raced just behind the leaders along the rail.

The two leaders swung wide entering the stretch and Beschizza shot Danse Macabre through an opening on the inside, quickly assumed command, was not threatened in the stretch run.

"She came away from there well and when I asked her she gave it to me," Beschizza said. "We made the lead and I was surprised how far in front we went. I was looking around for something that was going to be breathing down my neck, but it never happened. This is a great confidence builder for her. She ran really well."

The victory was worth $134,040 and increased Danse Macabre's earnings to $666,740 with a record of 4-2-1 from seven starts that now includes three stakes victories. She is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Army Mule   out of the Blame   mare Sylphide . Danner used to get on Sylphide in the mornings as an exercise rider. 

"She's a nice filly," Danner said. "She hasn't done anything wrong since she was a 2-year-old."

Danner indicated the seven-furlong Soaring Softly Stakes (G3T) at Belmont Park | BloodHorse.com Track Profile">Belmont Park on May 27 would be the next target for the filly. 

Danse Macabre came into the Mamzelle off a win in the Herecomesthebride Stakes (G3T) at Gulfstream Park in March, the first graded stakes win for Steve and Denise Smith of Elements Racing along with John Ballantyne of NBS Stable. The filly was entered in the Limestone Stakes at Keeneland last month but scratched after drawing an undesirable outside post. 

Danse Macabre returned $17.48, $8.48, and $4.76. American Apple , ridden by Gerardo Corrales, returned $9.84 and $5.24 with Anna's Arabesque  finishing another neck back and returning $7.34 to show under Florent Geroux.

It was another 1 ¾ lengths back to My Sweet Affair , who was followed in order by B G Warrior , Peacock Lass , Shootoutthelights , Sassy Nature , and Lady Hollywood .

Danse Macabre was purchased for $55,000 from the 2022 Ocala Breeders' March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training from consignor Tom McCrocklin.