Ballade race flow may favor Dancing Ashley
ETOBICOKE, Ontario — There is speed galore in holiday Monday’s $125,000 Ballade Stakes at Woodbine, and the six-furlong sprint could set up for a stalker or closer such as Dancing Ashley.
Dancing Ashley reached full bloom last year at 4, winning 4 of 9 starts. She took a pair of Ontario-sired allowances in the summer and then cleared the first two open allowance conditions in the fall before capping her season with a second in an Ontario-sired allowance with no conditions.
“She had a real good year,” said trainer Ralph Biamonte.
Dancing Ashley wintered in Ocala, Fla., but Biamonte said she might not be cranked up for this, her first race since Nov. 26.
“I wish I had a start into her, but there were no other spots for her,” Biamonte said. “She’s been working since the middle of February. She’s been going a long time. She’s doing good. We’ve been pointing for the race. We’re going to take a shot.”
Nine other Ontario-sired females were entered in the Ballade, including the front-runners Executive Allure, Tahnee, and Silent Treat.
Ballade, race 8
KEY CONTENDERS
Dancing Ashley (Last 3 Beyers: 73-79-83)
FORMULATOR FACT: Biamonte has an 18 percent strike rate with 61- to 180-day layoff runners over the past five years, with a return on investment of $1.61.
Executive Allure (Last 3 Beyers: 80-83-88)
◗ Her two scores in November included a victory over Unspurned and Skylander Girl in the Jammed Lovely Stakes. She went too fast on the lead in her season opener in the Grade 3 Whimsical Stakes before losing to Unspurned and Skylander Girl. Skylander Girl came back to romp in the Grade 3 Hendrie.
Tahnee (Last 3 Beyers: 84-70-78)
◗ She dominated first-level allowance opposition going five-eighths following a layoff of nearly two years on May 2.
“She had hurt herself at the end of her 3-year-old year,” said trainer Mark Fournier. “She had some soft-tissue damage, but she’s healed up, and she came out of the race really good.”
Silent Treat (Last 3 Beyers: 30-90-76)
◗ She captured last year’s Ballade and subsequently beat a quality field on turf in the restricted Zadracarta Stakes. She has been idle since finishing up the track Oct. 19 in the Grade 3 Ontario Fashion.
Wild Catomine (Last 3 Beyers: 79-60-54)
◗ She tailed off last summer after winning the Fury Stakes and running second to Lexie Lou in the Woodbine Oaks. Following an extended layoff, she rallied belatedly for fourth over a speed-favoring track in the Whimsical on April 18.