Return of Danza Imminent

It’s almost time for the return of one of my favorite colts from an excellent three-year-old crop of 2014, Danza. In fact, his long awaited return could happen as soon as Saturday, as he’s nominated to the $100,000 Harlan’s Holiday at Gulfstream Park. I wasn’t always a backer of Danza, but my feelings changed quickly this spring.

He arrived at Oaklawn Park in April a virtual unknown. The Arkansas Derby figured to be a battle between more proven commodities like Tapiture, Strong Mandate, and Ride On Curlin, or a coming out party for the undefeated California hotshot, Bayern. It proved to be none of the above.

Danza stalked the early pace under Joe Bravo, and exploded on the rail to win the big Kentucky Derby prep by 4 ¾ lengths going away. It was an eye-opening performance, made even more amazing, when you consider his racing background.

Danza came out early in his juvenile year to break his maiden at first asking in a 5 ½ furlong maiden heat in July at Belmont Park. He returned the following month to be a fast closing 3rd in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special. It was a promising start to his career, but that was it for his two-year-old season.

Not seen again until March of this year, he finished a non-descript 3rd in a fast, seven furlong allowance race at Gulfstream Park. That’s it. Those three sprints, spread out by more than six months, were all the Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners owned colt had under his belt going into the nine furlong, Grade 1 Arkansas Derby in April. You can see why the Arkansas Derby romp came at 41-1 odds. Next would come the Kentucky Derby.

I actually arrived at Louisville not really wanting to like the Todd Pletcher trainee. I figured he was just too inexperienced to handle the rigors of everything that goes into the 20-horse Run for the Roses, while in front of 160,000 some odd fans. The week of the Kentucky Derby, though, I came to the realization that the lightly raced son of Street Boss was the best looking horse in the field, bar none. His coat sparkled, his muscles rippled, and he got over the track like a finely tuned sports car.

Included on my tickets, largely because of what I had witnessed up close that week at Churchill Downs, Danza once again looked the picture of thriving health on the walkover from the Derby backstretch. Unfortunately, luck would not be on the side of Danza that afternoon under the twin spires. On the first run by the stands, he got hit harder than Tony Danza, as Tony Banta, did by the champ.

Still, I thought he ran a helluva good race. While California Chrome finished clear of Commanding Curve for all the glory, Danza was literally busting through horses to finish a full of run third. All this after having been completely sideswiped early in the race. I figured, taking into account his inexperience, it was a race to remember. The problem was, it is still the last thing I remember about Danza, because he has not run since.

So here we are seven months removed, and now I am a full-fledged Danza believer. The good news is he’s been working regularly at his South Florida base now since October. If he’s matured at all since last I saw him in Kentucky, look out. Whether it be this Saturday, or soon after, we should soon be able to add the name of Danza to an already very impressive list of 2015 four-year-olds.