Dancing in Silks by a nose in Cal Cup Sprint

ARCADIA, Calif. - The $100,000 California Cup Sprint looked like a match race on paper, and it played out that way on the racetrack. Dancing in Silks tracked odds-on favorite M One Rifle for the first half-mile of the six-furlong race, engaged the leader at the quarter pole, and then outfought him through a stirring stretch drive to prevail by a nose in one of the better races on Saturday's Cal Cup card at Santa Anita's Oak Tree meeting.

It was the third straight win for Dancing in Silks ($10) since he returned in August from a 6 1/2-month layoff. Joel Rosario, his regular rider, was aboard.

"He's always very relaxed," Rosario said. "You can do whatever - put him on the lead, come off the pace."

Rosario gave Dancing in Silks a perfect trip. He conceded the lead to M One Rifle, but always was within striking distance through fractions of 22.03 seconds for a quarter-mile and 44.52 seconds for a half-mile. He completed six furlongs on Pro-Ride in 1:08.55.

Bestdressed rallied late to finish third, 1 3/4 lengths behind M One Rifle.

Dancing in Silks has won six times in 12 starts. Carla Gaines trains Dancing in Silks for Ken Kinakin.