Charles Cono's Foxy Danseur will hold a significant experience edge over her four rivals in Hollywood Park's $100,000 Sharp Cat Stakes for 2-year-old fillies Nov. 17. The 1 1/16-mile Sharp Cat is Hollywood's major local prep race for the Dec. 15 Hollywood Starlet (gr. I).
Four of the five entrants are exiting the Anoakia Stakes at Santa Anita Oct. 20, and the Kentucky-bred Foxy Danseur fared best of the lot by far when she finished a game second, a neck behind Golden Doc A. Christopher Paasch trains the daughter of Mr. Greeley--Ravish Me, by Wild Again, who will be making her fourth stakes appearance in the Sharp Cat.
Foxy Danseur, to be ridden by Mike Smith, has a maiden win in six overall starts to go with two seconds and one third.
Of the remaining four aspirants, only two have won.
Suarez Racing's Champagne Eyes is not one of them, although her fourth-place finish in the Anoakia in her debut for trainer Doug O'Neill could be enough to make her the second choice in the Sharp Cat. She is a Kentucky-bred bay filly by Flatter --Corking, by Sensitive Prince.
Allen and Susan Branch's Czechers captured her maiden debut for trainer Mark Glatt on Del Mar's Polytrack Aug. 26 before finishing fifth in the Anoakia at odds of 9-1. The dark bay is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Indian Charlie--Pine Rob, by Pine Bluff.
Barry and Judith Becker's Highland Torree defeated $62,500 maiden claiming fillies at Oak Tree in her third start for trainer Jay Robbins last month, then returned to finish sixth in the Anoakia.
Always in Style is winless in three starts but comes off a second-place finish in the Nov. 3 California Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita for trainer Donald Warren.
$100,000 Sharp Cat Stakes (Race 3, 1:30 p.m.), 2-Year-Old Fillies, 1 1/16 Miles (All Weather)
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. Champagne Eyes (KY), 115, Michael C. Baze
2. Foxy Danseur (KY), 117, Mike E. Smith
3. Always in Style (CA), 115, Isaias D. Enriquez
4. Czechers (KY), 117, David R. Flores
5. Highland Torree (KY), 115, Richard Migliore
Foxy Danseur faces four rivals in the Sharp Cat.
