Dancing Duchess (outside) up in the nick of time to win the Algonquin (Michael Burns)
By Chris Lomon – Woodbine Communications
TORONTO— Dancing Duchess, under Javier Castellano, got up just in time to win the $200,000 Algonquin Stakes Sunday at Woodbine.
The dark bay daughter of Munnings-Duchess Dancer, trained by Mark Casse for Tracy Farmer, sat off the early pace set by longshot Rock to Fame, who took her seven rivals through an opening quarter in :22.48 over an inner turf listed as “good.”
Still on top heading for home in the five-furlong race for 2-year-olds, Rock to Fame was confronted by a host of rivals to his inside and outside in mid-stretch. It was hard-charging, slight 5-2 choice Dancing Duchess, second-last for most of the race, who had the most momentum, powering by her foes in the final yards to eke out a dramatic half-length victory in a time of :58.38.
Pipit, a last-time out winner of the Victoria Stakes, and Golden Canary, another Casse trainee, dead-heated for second. Split Strike was fourth. Only one length separated the top six finishers.
“She was last for a long time, but what an amazing closing kick and what a great ride from Javier,” said Kathryn Sullivan, assistant to Mark Casse. “I was not sure she was going to get there but I think he was more confident than I was.”
Dancing Duchess, now 2-2-0 from six starts, arrived at the Algonquin off a troubled trip in the Natalma (G1T) on September 16. Prior to that, she posted a pair of runner-up results, in the Soaring Free (won by Golden Canary) on August 20, and the My Dear on July 15.
Bred in Ontario by Mitchell Kursner, Dancing Duchess paid $7.20 for the win.
The race was presented by LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society.
