Come Dancing returns like a star

Come Dancing made quite the return to the races Thursday, winning a first-level allowance race by 6 1/2 lengths. Over a slow track, she ran six furlongs in 1:13.48 and earned a 96 Beyer Speed Figure.

Come Dancing, a 3-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Malibu Moon, was making her first start since she won her career debut by 3 1/2 lengths at Aqueduct on Nov. 6, 2016. She was scratched from the $100,000 Furlough Stakes at Aqueduct on Nov. 24, 2016 with what was ultimately diagnosed as a fractured pastern, which required surgery.

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Carlos Martin, who trains Come Dancing for Marc Holliday’s Blue Devil Racing Stable, said Come Dancing was given seven months off to heal and started her training back at Stone Bridge Farm in Saratoga.

“I only had her two months,” Martin said. “She only had six real works.”

In Thursday’s race, Come Dancing showed speed under Irad Ortiz Jr. and increased her advantage at every point of call.

“We always had high hopes, but you never know when you bring a horse after 13 months,” Martin said. “She always trained like an exceptional filly.”

Martin said he would consider running Come Dancing in a second-level allowance race or possibly the $100,000 Interborough Stakes here on Jan. 15, depending how that race comes up.