Dancing Marci on the up and up

PLEASANTON, Calif. - Dancing Marci, who once ran for $2,500 at Los Alamitos, makes her first start for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer in the $32,000 allowance feature at Pleasanton on Friday, and she looks like the one to beat.

An overflow field of 13 entered the race, which will be the ninth on the card and is restricted to fillies and mares, 3 and up, who have not won $3,000 other than maiden or claiming. The distance is six furlongs.

Dancing Marci won her maiden in a $2,500 maiden-claiming race at Los Alamitos July 22, 2000. Later, she won a restricted $5,000 claimer at the same track, and early this year she won for $8,000 at Golden Gate. Two races later, she won for $12,500 at Santa Anita.

In her most recent start, June 3 at Hollywood Park, she won a $20,000 claiming race by a head and was claimed by Hollendorfer, northern California's perennial leading trainer.

Dancing Marci has won six of her 17 career starts. She has speed, but can win on the lead or from just off of it, and seems sharp enough to continue her winning ways in her new barn and at this higher level.

The main threat is probably Call Me Soon, who has been pounding on the door at this first allowance level. In her last eight starts, all at this level, she has five seconds and a third. In her most recent start, June 8 at Bay Meadows, she missed by only a nose and earned an 88 Beyer Speed Figure. That 88 is the best last-race figure in this field, and also equals Call Me Soon's career best.

Creaseinherjeans is another likely threat.

A 4-year-old daughter of Pleasant Tap, Creaseinherjeans has not started since Dec. 7, but she has been close at this level and hails from the Terry Knight stable. She has been working extremely well at Bay Meadows.