Absatootly, Clipthecouponannie finally meet in Dancin Renee

ELMONT, N.Y. – Absatootly and Clipthecouponannie have traveled in the same circles but have never met. On Saturday, that will change when the pair of 4-year-old fillies square off in the $100,000 Dancin Renee Stakes at Belmont Park.

The Dancin Renee, at six furlongs on dirt and restricted to New York-bred fillies and mares, is the featured event on a nine-race card that begins at 1:30 p.m. Eastern. With only five runners, the Dancin Renee will go as the third race at 2:32 p.m.

Clipthecouponannie, a daughter of Uncle Mo, is 5 for 6 in her career, with her lone loss coming to fellow New York-bred Highway Star in the Grade 3 Distaff going seven furlongs at Aqueduct. That race came two days after Absatootly finished third in a seven-furlong allowance race for statebreds at Aqueduct.

Absatootly, a daughter of Mineshaft, is 5 for 12 in her career yet oddly enough has lost her last five starts against New York-bred competition.

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Clipthecouponannie and Absatootly are each coming off a stakes win by the same 1 1/2-length margin against open company in Maryland. Absatootly won the Primonetta at Laurel on April 22. Clipthecouponannie took the Skipat at Pimlico on May 19.

Both fillies like to be forwardly placed. Absatootly will break from the rail under Jose Ortiz, while Clipthecouponannie is right alongside in post 2 under John Velazquez. The speedy Court Dancer breaks from post 3.

“We got to come out running and see what happens from there,” said Charlton Baker, the trainer of Absatootly.

Byron Hughes, assistant to trainer Todd Pletcher, said Clipthecouponannie can be rated, but “if she breaks well and puts herself there, we’re not afraid to go,” he said.

Wonderment and Super Allison are closers who would benefit from a three-ply speed duel.

KEY CONTENDERS

Clipthecouponannie, by Uncle Mo

Last 3 Beyers: 89-87-83

◗ She is 3 for 3 against New York-breds, including the Franklin Square Stakes at Aqueduct last year.

◗ May have been compromised by a pace duel and the seven-furlong distance when beaten by Highway Star in the Distaff.

Absatootly, by Mineshaft

Last 3 Beyers: 85-52-79

◗ She was dragged off the pace by Eric Cancel and never came on again when a well-beaten third in a statebred allowance at Aqueduct on April 7.

◗ She wheeled back in two weeks to win the Primonetta with an outside stalking trip made possible by drawing post 7 of 8.

◗ Baker said that in the April 7 race, Absatootly “got a terrible ride, a terrible trip.”

“I thought she didn’t get much out of that race, and I thought she was doing good into that race, so I ran her back,” he said.

◗ Ortiz, aboard for the filly’s maiden win in 2015, is back aboard.

Wonderment, by Cosmonaut

Last 3 Beyers: 64-77-70

◗ Finds a field that doesn’t have the better New York-bred one-turn fillies and mares, such as Kathryn the Wise, Highway Star, and Quezon.

◗ Beaten five lengths when third to Clipthecouponannie in the Franklin Square Stakes 16 months ago.