Dance Caller well-spotted

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Dance Caller, who chased home the well-regarded Silver City in the $50,000 Dixieland last month at Oaklawn Park, will shake that rival on Sunday when he starts in a first-level optional $62,500 claimer. The six-furlong race is for 3-year-olds.

Dance Caller should go favored after proving to be the best of the rest in the Dixieland, when a clear second in the 5 1/2-furlong stakes Jan. 16.

"He ran a very good race, beat some nice horses," said Bob Holthus, who trains Dance Caller. "I hope it's a little easier in here."

Dance Caller rallied from sixth in the Dixieland, finishing four lengths behind Silver City, a $700,000 purchase at auction who earned a Beyer Figure of 99. It was another 4 1/2 lengths back in third to the Grade 3-placed Regardlessofoutcome.

As for Dance Caller, he earned a Beyer Figure of 88 in the Dixieland, and the number rates as the best last-out Beyer in the field on Sunday. He will be looking for his second career win behind a wire-to-wire maiden victory in September at Arlington Park.

"It was six furlongs, and he really ran a good race, beat some nice horses," said Holthus, who has given the mount to Calvin Borel.

The horse could get a tracking kind of trip behind Valid Rule and perhaps Barracuda Bay.

"He can be just right off the pace," said Holthus.

The field includes Sangre Frio, a maiden winner at Churchill in November who has been flattered since that race, with the second- and fourth-place finishers coming back in their next starts to win maiden special weights of their own, with Beyers of 83 and 89.

* Blitzing, a past winner of the $100,000 Letellier Memorial at Fair Grounds, will make her first start at 4 in race 8, a third-level optional $62,500 claimer for fillies and mares at six furlongs. She was third in an $80,000 optional claimer at Churchill to close out her 3-year-old season Oct. 26. Luis Quinonez will ride for trainer Steve Asmussen.

The chief threat could be Adorably Dangerous, who was second in a key race at Delaware Park in her last start Sept. 27. Leading rider Terry Thompson has the mount for trainer Larry Jones.