Lightly raced Deceptive Vision, a close third last time in her stakes debut, is the favorite among eight older fillies and mares expected to start in the $200,000 Dance Smartly Stakes (Can-IIT) July 6 on the Woodbine turf.
The 1 1/8-mile Dance Smartly is the first of three graded stakes that precede the $1 million Queen's Plate on the Sunday Woodbine card. Scheduled post time for the Dance Smartly, race 7 on the program, is 3:02 p.m. EDT.
Trained by Malcolm Pierce, Deceptive Vision, a 4-year-old daughter of A.P. Indy, comes into the Dance Smartly after being beaten by 1 1/4 lengths by Solid Appeal in the one-mile Nassau Stakes (Can-IIT). Sam-Son Farm's Ontario homebred led in the stretch as the favorite in the May 25 Nassau and gave way grudgingly late, bringing to an end her three-race win streak.
With Patrick Husbands aboard her for the first time, Deceptive Vision can redeem herself without having to face Solid Appeal. The defending Dance Smartly winner and two-time Nassau victress was nominated for a repeat try by trainer Reade Baker but not entered.
Deceptive Vision carries 116 pounds as she looks to improve on her career mark of 3-1-1 from five starts. She'll get four pounds from stablemate Overheard, sent out by Pierce for owner/breeder Pin Oak Stable. Pierce is seeking his first win in the Dance Smartly since Points of Grace in 2009.
Overheard won the Valley View Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Keeneland Oct. 18 in her final start of a 2103 campaign that saw her finish in the money in all seven of her starts while banking $260,387. For her career, the ultra-consistent 4-year-old daughter of Macho Uno is 4-4-3 in 11 outings with earnings of $338,696. Her victory total includes a win in the Alywow Stakes 13 months ago on the Woodbine turf.
Eurico Rosa Da Silva has the mount on the 5-2 second choice on the morning line. The bay filly has had just one start so far this year, finishing second by a head to Tannery in the listed Miss Liberty Stakes on the Monmouth Park lawn May 26.
Also strongly regarded on the morning line is Theatre Star, pegged at 3-1 for Glen Hill Farm and trainer Tom Proctor. The connections won the Dance Smartly in 2012 with Marketing Mix.
Breaking from post 7 under Luis Contreras, Theatre Star comes off a second as the 6-5 favorite in an allowance/optional claiming race to streaking Kathleen Rose at Santa Anita Park June 5. Owner of a four-race win streak that ended in April, the 4-year-old War Front filly seeks her first stakes win.
Trainer Mark Casse is represented by Gary Barber and Robert Masterson's Industrial Policy, fourth last time in the 1 1/16-mile Miss Liberty after winning an allowance race on the Keeneland grass over Riposte in April. Javier Castellano, who rode her at Keeneland, takes the call.
English Class, fifth in the Beaugay Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Belmont Park May 3, and Savvy Hester and Surtsey, fourth and fifth respectively in the Nassau, are also in the field. Precarious, fourth in a first-level allowance May 25 at Belmont, completes the lineup.
$200,000 Dance Smartly Stakes (Can-IIT), Race 7, 3:02 p.m.), Fillies & Mares 3 & Up, 1 1/8 Miles (Turf)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer, ML Odds
1. Surtsey (ON), E Wilson, 118, K Attard, 15/1
2. Overheard (KY), E R Da Silva, 120, M Pierce, 5/2
3. Industrial Policy (KY), J Castellano, 116, M E Casse, 6/1
4. Deceptive Vision (ON), P Husbands, 116, M Pierce, 2/1
5. Savvy Hester (KY), J Stein, 116, R Griffith, 20/1
6. English Class (KY), J R Velazquez, 116, B A Lynch, 8/1
7. Theatre Star (KY), L Contreras, 116, T F Proctor, 3/1
8. Precarious (KY), C Sutherland Kruse, 116, H J Bond, 20/1
Overheard won the 2013 Pin Oak Valley View Stakes, and will face stablemate Deceptive vision, as well as 6 others in the Dance Smartly Stakes.
Keeneland/Coady Photography