Dance Again rallied last to first to defeat her Sam-Son Farms stablemate Smartyfly in Saturday’s $150,000 Carotene Stakes, at Woodbine.
Trained by Malcolm Pierce, the striking bay daughter of Awesome Again-Dance With Doves earned her first added-money win with a powerful closing move down the middle of the turf course covering 1 1/8-miles in 1:49.90 under Patrick Husbands.
Dance Again broke her maiden in February in an off-the-turf maiden allowance at Fair Grounds in Louisiana, and has placed consistently since that score while racing at Keeneland and Woodbine with a pair of seconds and a third-place run through six sophomore starts.
Rutherford Rd made the early pace in the Carotene setting splits of :23.88, :48.02 and 1:13.07 with Professor’s Ride and Blessed One tracking her speed.
Husbands, waiting patiently aboard Dance Again near the back of the seven-horse field, launched his bid heading into the far turn and closed to take the spoils under a strong hand ride by 1 3/4-lengths over Smartyfly.
Pierce, who trained both Dance Again and Smartyfly with recent Grade 1 Jamaica Handicap winner Up With the Birds, had an inkling his fillies were sitting on a big race.
“I had mixed feelings on which one should win, but they both deserved a chance in here,” said Pierce. “No horse has been training any better in the barn than Dance Again. Two weeks ago, she gave Up With the Birds all he wanted in a workout. That says a lot. I thought she came into the race in good order.”
Dance Again banked $90,000 in victory, while improving her record to 2-3-2 from nine career starts.
She returned $6.90, $2.70 and $2.40, pairing with Smartyfly ($2.20, $2.10) for a $15.10 (5-2) exactor. A 5-2-3 (Primordia, $3.90 to show) triactor was worth $105.90. Blessed One completed a $1 Superfecta (5-2-3-7) worth $201.60.
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