Come Dancing wins Gallant Bloom to become racing's newest millionaire
Blue Devil Racing Stable homebred Come Dancing collected her fourth graded stakes win of the year and surpassed $1 million in career earnings Sunday with an open-length win in the in the Grade 2, $300,000 Gallant Bloom Handicap at Belmont Park.
On a likely path to the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, Come Dancing broke slow before rushed up to stalk opening fractions of :22.54 and :44.99 set by Carrera Cat. Come Dancing, under jockey Javier Castellano, ranged up to the leaders three-wide on the turn, surged to the front through six furlongs in 1:08.45 and opened up before being geared down late.
Despite drifting in late, Come Dancing finished 3 1/4-lengths clear of second choice Minit to Stardom. Longshot Majestic Reason prompted the pace and did well to hold on for third.
Come Dancing ($2.50) sizzled 6 1/2-furlongs in 1:14.96, which was just 2/5 of a second off the track record.
"I didn't want to let her break and dictate the pace," Castellano said. "It's a six-horse field and two main horses [No. 2 Carrera Cat, No. 5 Minit to Stardom] were the speed. I wanted to let her break slowly and then pick it up little by little and get my spot.
"My goal today was just to take it easy and put everything together for the Breeders' Cup. I think this race is going to bridge the gap to the Breeders' Cup. I didn't want to squeeze the lemon."
Trained by Carlos Martin, Come Dancing is a 5-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon out of Tizahit, by Tiznow. She has won eight of 13 starts with a pair of seconds.
Martin said he was planning to train Come Dancing up to the Breeders' Cup, but further thought resulted in a change in plans.
"She was just doing so well," Martin said. "I did some research with the team and it was a perfect prep, timing-wise. The more I thought about it, the more I felt confident in running her today. Marc Holliday and the Blue Devil team have stuck with us through some tough times, and I'm glad to see her at her best as a 5-year-old."
This season, Come Dancing has scored in the Distaff Handicap (G3), Ruffian Stakes (G2) and Ballerina Stakes (G1) at Saratoga in her most recent start. The lone loss this season for Come Dancing was a runner-up finish to Midnight Bisou in the Ogden Phipps (G2) after a slow start.
It's now on to the Breeders' Cup, potentially as the favorite in the Filly & Mare Sprint. Martin reflected on a previous Breeders' Cup experience with his father, trainer Jose Martin.
"I was with my dad when he trained Groovy," Martin said. "Unfortunately, we got beat as the favorite in the 1987 Breeders' Cup Sprint. Those are some bittersweet memories in California. so hopefully we can make it right after all those years and get a Breeders' Cup win for the family."