Danette has look of surprise package

SANTA ANITA, Calif. – Angela Renee and Conquest Eclipse, the first two finishers from the Grade 1 Chandelier Stakes here Sept. 27, are 3-1 and 4-1 on the morning line for Saturday’s $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

Danette, who finished third in that race, is 20-1 on the line.

On Tuesday, Danette – who is winless in five career starts – indicated that she may offer some value at half the price with a solid five-furlong move timed by Daily Racing Form in 1:00.07. Jockey Kent Desormeaux, who rides the filly for his brother, Keith, was aboard for the move, in which the filly got her final three furlongs in 36.06 seconds.

“Absolutely the work of the year for me,” Kent Desormeaux said afterward. “Just effortless. Fast and effortless.”

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Keith Desormeaux, who said he caught his filly in 59.80, said the move “gets us pretty excited.” He added that he worked Danette this close to the race to “sharpen her up a little bit.”

Danette was a bit farther back than perhaps either Desormeaux wanted in the Chandelier. She was floated wide into the stretch and made a mild bid to finish five lengths behind Angela Renee.

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The Chandelier was the best performance of Danette’s career, and not coincidentally, it was her first race on dirt following four tries on synthetic surfaces. Danette is a daughter of Curlin, who also preferred dirt over synthetic.

“You read so often about the fact that Curlins are useless on synthetic, and they are much better on dirt,” Keith Desormeaux said. “That was always in the back of my mind. I’d like to think she’s moved a ton forward since I got her off Poly, but I think it’s more about pedigree.”