Banree in sharp form for Friday allowance
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Banree has never really lived up to early expectations, but she does figure among the ones to beat in Friday’s $45,000 main event, a six-furlong optional claimer that drew a field of six fillies and mares, including the undefeated New York-bred stakes winner Clipthecouponannie.
Banree proved an instant sensation for trainer Wesley Ward, winning her debut early at 2 in impressive fashion at Keeneland before finishing second in the Grade 3 Schuylerville several months later at Saratoga. But the 3-year-old daughter of Macho Uno has never been able to make the jump to stakes winner, having won only an entry-level allowance race in seven subsequent starts.
After taking the summer off, Banree returned under second-level allowance conditions last month at Churchill Downs, turning in a bang-up second-place effort behind Illussion Artist that bodes well for her chances on Friday.
Clipthecouponannie is perfect in three starts, each coming over the inner track against statebred opposition last winter at Aqueduct. A homebred daughter of Uncle Mo owned by Mike Repole and trained by Todd Pletcher, Clipthecouponannie will try open company Friday for the first time while making her first start in nearly 10 months. She has posted four bullet works at Palm Beach Downs since Nov. 4.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Clipthecouponannie. Trainer Todd Pletcher is 30-19-3-3 with a $3.84 ROI over the past five years in dirt sprints with last-out winners following a layoff of 180 days or more. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Miss Away has captured her last three starts. She was nominated for the Rampart, but trainer Yandri Pena has opted to keep her against allowance company for the time being.
Diamond Earring, a runaway winner under similar conditions here on Sept. 22, Tripocha, and Sweetwater fill out the lineup.