Danette up next for hot Desormeaux barn

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The decision to keep a small string at Saratoga this summer has paid off handsomely so far for trainer Keith Desormeaux’s stable, which has two stakes wins from seven starters at the meet. There may be more to come.

Hoping to build on his successes with Texas Red in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy on Aug. 1 and Exaggerator in Sunday’s Grade 2 Saratoga Special, Desormeaux will send out Danette in Saturday’s Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama.

Danette has only one win from 14 career starts, but that win came at Belmont Park last month. In her next start, she finished fourth, beaten 2 1/4 lengths in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks. She finished behind I’m a Chatterbox (disqualified from first), Curalina, and Include Betty, three fillies she will meet again Saturday.

“That head bob [loss] for third was a little disappointing,” said Julie Clark, who has been overseeing Desormeaux’s New York string while he runs the Southern California operation. “She needs to be a little brave. Those horses didn’t interfere with her but those moving around in front of her might have helped her to lose focus a little bit. Watch the head-on, when they split after the wire she pushes through there and galloped out very strong. Keith has really thought that extra distance would really be her forte.”

Clark believes the deeper tracks of the East Coast have also helped Danette.

“She loves it here,” Clark said Tuesday morning. “She galloped a few rounds today and it was like nothing.”

The Alabama is run at 1 1/4 miles, a distance all runners in the Alabama will be trying for the first time.

Danette is a daughter of Curlin, and his offspring have done really well at Saratoga this meet. Curalina is by Curlin. So is Exaggerator, who shipped here from Southern California to win Sunday’s Saratoga Special by three-quarters of a length over Saratoga Mischief.

Clark said Exaggerator came out of the race well but most likely would not return for the Grade 1 Hopeful here on Sept. 5. Desormeaux plans to have a string at Keeneland – where this year’s Breeders’ Cup will be run – so a race like the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity on Oct. 3 could be his next spot.

Meanwhile, the main reason Desormeaux set up shop at Saratoga this summer is because of Texas Red, last year’s BC Juvenile winner, who has been pointing to the Travers for months. After running second to Speightster in the Dwyer at Belmont, Texas Red won the Jim Dandy and appears to be training forwardly to the Travers. He will have his final work here on Saturday with Desormeaux in attendance.

“He’s rolling, he looks great,” Clark said. “No complaints with him.”