Dancing Rags Kicks Off Season in Beaumont Stakes
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Photo: Keeneland/Coady Photography
Angel Cruz celebrates his Darley Alcibiades win aboard Dancing Rags
Chadds Ford Stables' grade 1 winner Dancing Rags aims to kick off her 3-year-old campaign by channeling some old magic over the Keeneland surface when she heads a field of seven entered for the $150,000 Adena Springs Beaumont Stakes (G3) April 9.
The daughter of Union Rags had a most successful visit to the Lexington track in October. In her graded stakes debut and third start, she used a stalk-and-pounce trip to capture the Oct. 7 Darley Alcibiades Stakes (G1) by a length, besting a group that included graded stakes winner Daddys Lil Darling.
ANGST: Dancing Rags Delivers in Darley Alcibiades
Things went awry for Dancing Rags, however, in the 14 Hands Winery Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) the following month, as she weakened in the lane en route to finishing eighth. Unraced since that outing, trainer Graham Motion opted to bring the bay filly back in the about seven-furlong Beaumont rather than the Central Bank Ashland Stakes (G1) in an effort to ease her into what he hopes will be her return to top form. In preparation she has been working steadily at Palm Meadows Training Center, including multiple efforts in company with Lambholm South Holy Bull Stakes (G2) winner Irish War Cry.
"She's doing really well. I'm pleased with her," Motion said. "She's never been an exceptional work horse, but I've been really pleased with her works at Palm Meadows. I just didn't think she was quite ready to run in the Ashland going two turns. I thought the Beaumont was more logical for her."
Bred in Maryland by David DiPietro, Dancing Rags broke her maiden second time out going one mile at Laurel Park last Sept. 17 prior to upsetting the 1 1/16-mile Alcibiades at odds of 12-1.
The Beaumont lineup didn't come up exceptionally soft for Dancing Rags' debut. Joining her in the gate will be fellow grade 1 winner Sweet Loretta, who finished in a dead heat for the win with Pretty City Dancer in the Spinaway Stakes (G1) last Sept. 3.
Like Dancing Rags, Sweet Loretta had a disappointing go in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, where she finished 11th. The Beaumont distance should be right in the daughter of Tapit 's comfort zone; she annexed the six-furlong Schuylerville Stakes (G3) last July in addition to her shared success in the seven-furlong Spinaway.
Sweet Loretta and Dancing Rags are the only two stakes winners in the Beaumont field, but Al Stall Jr. trainee My Miss Chiff has flashed brilliance in winning her two career starts—both going six furlongs at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots—by a combined 13 3/4 lengths.
Adena Springs Beaumont S. (G3)
Keeneland, Sunday, April 09, 2017, Race 8
- About 7f
- Dirt
- $150,000
- 3 yo Fillies
- 4:57 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1Laney (KY) |
Julien R. Leparoux | 118 | Eddie Kenneally | 10/1 |
| 2 | 2My Miss Chiff (LA) | Mitchell Murrill | 118 | Albert M. Stall, Jr. | 8/1 |
| 3 | 3Sweet Loretta (KY) |
Javier Castellano | 123 | Todd A. Pletcher | 7/5 |
| 4 | 4Treble (KY) |
Jose L. Ortiz | 118 | Ron Moquett | 6/1 |
| 5 | 5Dancing Rags (MD) |
Angel Cruz | 123 | H. Graham Motion | 9/5 |
| 6 | 6Sine Wave (KY) | Florent Geroux | 118 | Benjamin W. Perkins, Jr. | 12/1 |
| 7 | 7Promises Broken (KY) | Robby Albarado | 118 | Philip A. Sims | 12/1 |