Dancing in Silks no longer so speed crazy

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Dancing in Silks has changed in the last four months, and just in the nick of time, too.

Gone is the speedy run-off, who won 2 of his first 4 starts but sometimes ran too quick for his own good.

"For a while, he was a little speed crazy," trainer Carla Gaines said. "Now, he's learning to settle. It's taken him a while."

Gaines is hopeful that Dancing in Silks can use his newfound patience to win the longest race of his career in Sunday's $75,000 On Trust Handicap at 7 1/2 furlongs at Hollywood Park. He has certainly shown the ability to run with top-class horses. On Oct. 25, Dancing in Silks was second to the Grade 1 winner Into Mischief in the seven-furlong Damascus Stakes at Santa Anita.

Gaines considered the Damascus as the ideal setup for the On Trust Handicap, which is restricted to California-breds. She is hoping to use the On Trust as a prep to the $300,000 Sunshine Millions Sprint for California-breds and Florida-breds at Santa Anita on Jan. 24.

"I thought he ran great last time," Gaines said of the Damascus. "The timing came up good for him. He seems to run better with a lot of space between races of six to eight weeks."

Owned by Ken Kinakin, Dancing in Silks has won 3 of 7 starts. He won the NTRA Stakes, a $63,000 maiden race for statebreds at Hollywood Park in April, and was later third in the Real Good Deal Stakes for statebred 3-year-olds at Del Mar in August.

Dancing in Silks has won three races against older horses - the NTRA Stakes, an allowance race for statebreds, and an optional claimer against open company at Del Mar in September.

Sunday's race is dominated by 3-year-olds. The undefeated Bamaha Breeze makes his stakes debut after winning five races for trainer Steve Miyadi. Bamaha Breeze, based in Northern California, won an allowance race for statebreds at Santa Anita last February and is expected to set the pace.

Nikki'sgoldensteed, the winner of the Turf Paradise Derby last February, makes his second start after a layoff of nearly eight months. Nikki'sgoldensteed was fifth in an optional claimer here on Nov. 1, closing some ground through the stretch.

"We brought him [to Hollywood Park] 10 days ago and he's doing great," trainer Bob Hess Jr. said. "I don't know if it's the climate or coincidence."