Come Dancing keeping tempo upbeat ahead of Ogden Phipps

ELMONT, N.Y. – The Grade 1, $700,000 Ogden Phipps will be the toughest test of Come Dancing’s career, but if her workout Friday morning is any indication, she seems well prepared for it.

Come Dancing waltzed six furlongs in 1:11.63 over the Belmont Park training track, with a final quarter of 23.91 seconds. She galloped out seven furlongs in 1:26.09, according to Daily Racing Form clocker Mike Welsch. It was her last serious move prior to the Phipps, one of eight Grade 1 stakes to be run June 8 at Belmont.

“Right now, I can’t be any happier than with what I saw this morning. That was pretty impressive,” said trainer Carlos Martin. “She was just clicking along, really looked strong the whole way. She is just so deceptive.”

Martin, like many trainers wanting to work their horses on Friday, grappled with whether to delay the move by a day. Heavy rain Thursday made for a sloppy track for Thursday’s racing, but the New York Racing Association’s maintenance crew did a fabulous job having both the training and main tracks in shape to work if horsemen so chose.

Martin wanted to work Come Dancing on Friday because he wanted jockey Manny Franco to be aboard. Franco would not be available Saturday morning because he was heading to Penn National to ride that day’s card.

“It turned out good,” Martin said. “I’m glad I moved the work to today.”

Come Dancing is working as well as she’s been running. In April, Come Dancing won the Grade 3 Distaff at Aqueduct by 7 3/4 lengths, earning a 114 Beyer Speed Figure that is the highest attained by any horse at any distance this year.

In May, Come Dancing, a 5-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon owned by Mark Holliday’s Blue Devil Racing, came back to win the Grade 2 Ruffian by 6 3/4 lengths, earning a 103 Beyer. Overall, Come Dancing is 6 for 10 and is 2 for 3 over Belmont’s main track.

The Phipps, a Win and You’re In race for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, is expected to draw a field of seven, including Electric Forest, Escape Clause, Midnight Bisou, Mopotism, Pacific Wind, and Spiced Perfection.