FAIR GROUNDS: DANZATRICE DOMINANT IN TIFFANY LASS

By Michael Adolphson —

NEW ORLEANS (December 26, 2016) – Gainesway Stable’s Danzatrice impressed onlookers with a facile 7¼-length victory in the $50,000 Tiffany Lass Stakes on Monday afternoon at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. The daughter of Dunkirk sat comfortably in second as Fox Hill Farm’s Cinnamon Spice set a moderate early pace under Mitchell Murrill before launching a bid at the three-furlong pole and pulling clear at the top of the stretch. Chased home by Brereton C. Jones and Timothy C. Thornton’s Grade I-winning 1-2 favorite Include Betty under Gabriel Saez, the chestnut dismissed said rival, widening through the stretch under Florent Geroux and giving trainer Steve Asmussen his second stakes win of the 2016-17 meet.

It was another 2½ lengths astern Include Betty to William Stiritz’s late-running Rosie My Rosie, who passed Cinnamon Sugar in the final strides under journeyman Robby Albarado. Trailing the quintet at the wire was Wes Hawley and Hooties Racing’s well-beaten Street Thunder under Miguel Mena.

“She was great today,” Geroux said. “She was very relaxed and sat behind comfortably and relaxed behind (Cinnamon Spice). When I asked her turning for home, it was pretty much over. She took off.”

The victory was Danzatrice’s second career stakes tally, but first for Asmussen. Previously trained by Cathal Lynch, she made her first six starts between July 2014 and July 2015 – including a fourth in the Grade I Acorn Stakes behind Curalina – before heading to the sidelines for 15 months and resurfacing in a Delta Downs allowance for Asmussen on Oct. 22. Romping by 6½ lengths that day, she returned four weeks later to finish third in the $194,000 Treasure Chest at that course as the 9-5 second choice. In her third race off the layoff on Saturday, she did not disappoint, winning for the fifth time in nine career starts and increasing her career bankroll to $227,865 with the $31,000 winner’s portion.

A $105,000 OBS April purchase as a 2-year-old, Danzatrice returned $8.40, $3 and $2.40. Include Betty returned $2.10 and $2.10, while Rosie My Rosie returned $3.20 to show.