Dancing House kicks away in Barbara Fritchie; Kid Cruz, Pangburn win undercard stakes
February 13th, 2016
After being stakes-placed four times in her first 10 starts, Dancing House garnered her initial stakes tally with the 1 ¾-length decision. The gray daughter of Tapit has raced sparingly, never making more than three starts in her first three seasons on track, and she improved her overall mark to 11-5-2-3, with a $449,825 bankroll.
Dancing House hails from the multiple Grade 1-winning Slewvescent mare Tout Charmant.
Off as the 4-1 third choice in an eight-horse field, Dancing House quickly regrouped after hopping and bobbling at the start, advancing to chase 9-5 second choice Hot City Girl through splits of :22.87 and :46.34.
Lady Sabelia, the 3-2 favorite in a title defense, offered a bid to the outside of Dancing House while entering the stretch and stuck a head in front with a furlong remaining, but she could not sustain her momentum and weakened to third in the final sixteenth of a mile. Dancing House moved to take the lead as Lady Sabelia ran out of gas and drew off late, stopping the teletimer in 1:25.23.
Clothes Fall Off closed well to be a clear second on the fast track.
One race prior to the Barbara Fritchie, Kid Cruz rallied to win the $75,000 John B. Campbell. It was a successful return for the 5-year-old son of Lemon Drop Kid, who posted a four-length victory in the 2014 Private Terms in his lone previous appearance at the Maryland track, and Kid Cruz was favored at even-money among eight rivals.
Owned by Vina Del Mar Thoroughbreds and Black Swan Stable, Kid Cruz overhauled runner-up Souper Lucky with about a sixteenth of a mile remaining and drove to a half-length decision beneath Jose Ortiz. It was another 2 ½ lengths back to pacesetter Kobel in third. The Linda Rice-trained winner completed 1 1/8 miles in 1:52.98.
A four-time stakes winner in 2014, including his lone graded tally in the Dwyer (G3), the Kentucky-bred Kid Cruz was winless from six starts last year but placed five times, recording four seconds and a third. He finished fourth as the favorite when opening the year in the January 16 Jazil at Aqueduct and has now earned $662,025 from an 18-6-5-2 career line. Out of the Tale of a Cat mare Layreebelle, Kid Cruz counts Grade 2 winner Spellbound as a half-sister.
Shortleaf Stable’s Pangburn ran down Joint Return to post a half-length score in the $75,000 Maryland Racing Media, the first of three stakes Saturday. Trained by Anthony Dutrow and ridden by Jevian Toledo, the 4-year-old filly registered her first stakes victory after placing in three graded events as a sophomore. The Congrats filly has now earned $297,871 from 13-4-2-1 record.
Off as the 5-2 second choice among six opponents, the Kentucky-bred Pangburn stepped 1 1/16 miles in 1:47.90. Mei Ling, the 2-5 favorite, finished a well-beaten third.
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