Come Dancing can pad stats in Gallant Bloom

ELMONT, N.Y. – Come Dancing will attempt to pad her already solid résumé for an Eclipse Award while also getting a prep in for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint when she heads a five-horse field in Sunday’s Grade 2, $300,000 Gallant Bloom Handicap at Belmont Park.

The Gallant Bloom, run at 6 1/2 furlongs, is carded as the third race on a 10-race card that begins at 1 p.m. and includes a pair of New York-bred turf stakes.

Last month at Saratoga, Come Dancing dominated the Grade 1 Ballerina by 3 1/2 lengths, adding that victory to earlier-season triumphs in the Grade 3 Distaff at Aqueduct and Grade 2 Ruffian at Belmont. Her lone defeat from four starts this year came to Midnight Bisou in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps. Midnight Bisou is 6 for 6 this year and the likely favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

Following the Ballerina, trainer Carlos Martin was originally thinking of training Come Dancing to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on Nov. 2 at Santa Anita. But given how well Come Dancing came out of the race, waiting 10 weeks to run her back didn’t seem prudent.

“The filly’s doing so well, and the more I thought about it everybody usually prepares for the Breeders’ Cup in this time frame,” Martin said. “I don’t think we’ve overrun her.”

In the Ballerina, Come Dancing showed she could be effective from off the pace as Javier Castellano made the decision to take her back and put her in the clear while racing wide early on. She then exploded turning for home.

“She showed a turn of foot anytime he wanted it, which was impressive,” Martin said.

Sunday, Come Dancing breaks from post 3 in a five-horse field. She will have the speedy Carrera Cat breaking to her inside and the speedy Minit to Stardom on her outside. As the 125-pound highweight, Come Dancing will concede five pounds to Minit to Stardom and nine pounds to Carrera Cat.

Minit to Stardom, a Louisiana-bred daughter of Star Guitar, has not run since taking the Grade 2 Honorable Miss at Saratoga in front-running fashion. She is 3 for 3 in the care of trainer Jose Camejo.

Carrera Cat is a New York-bred daughter of Courageous Cat, who has won five of her last six starts dating back to last Nov. 8 and has earned a shot against open company.

“If [Come Dancing] runs that last race back, she’ll probably not be beaten,” said John Morrison, trainer of Carrera Cat, adding his filly is “doing very well and now’s the time to take a shot.”

Trainer Graham Motion planned to scratch Majestic Reason from Saturday’s Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon Stakes to run in the Gallant Bloom. Jc’s Shooting won a sprint here on turf on Sept. 13 and was entered back in this spot.