Jockey Dane Nelson could not hug and kiss the filly DANCE SHOES enough after the pair surfed to a one-length victory in the $50,000 R.K. Red Smith Stakes at Century Mile in Nisku, AB on September 24. No wonder Nelson was giddy, as it was the fifth win and fourth stakes win in 2022 for the rider and the super Alberta-bred filly.
Sent off as the 5-to-2 favourite in the Red Smith at 1 1/8 miles, Dance Shoes and Nelson tracked the early pace of Run Lola Run and Orange Theory before going wide off the turn for home and powering to the win over a tough Run Lola Run. The time was 1:50.73.
Dance Shoes is owned by Mohamad K. Khan and trained by James Brown. The daughter of Mank (Pulpit) from the mare Dancin for Dellana by Whywhywhy was bred by James McFayden, who raced the filly a couple of times as a 2-year-old. Dance Shoes was claimed three times early in her career, finally by Khan for $15,000 in 2021. She won the Alberta Oaks soon after moving to the Brown barn and has won seven races for her current connections.
The Smith was the 13th win in 23 races for Dance Shoes who has earnings of $199,923.
Also on the Sept. 24 card at Century Mile, SOY TAPATIO flew to an easy win in the Don Getty Handicap, worth $48,000 for Rick, Clayton and Lana Weist and Gary Kroop and trainer Robertino Diodoro. The Kentucky-bred by Not This Time won by 7 1/2 lengths in a near-track record time of 1:48.81 for 1 1/8 miles. Ridden by Dane Nelson, Soy Tapatio was 3-to-5 in the five-horse field. It was the second stakes win from three starts for the 4-year-old’s connections who brought him from Kentucky earlier this summer.
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