Decked Out, Place des Vosges fresh and ready for CTT and TOC Handicap

DEL MAR, Calif. – Dancing every dance is tough, which is why ambitiously campaigned Decked Out and Place des Vosges finally had to sit one out. Decked Out has sat out this season; Place des Vosges sat out one stakes cycle.

Wednesday at Del Mar, it is time to tango.

Decked Out, the Grade 1 American Oaks winner in her last start Dec. 31, returns as the favorite in the $75,000 CTT and TOC Handicap. Place des Vosges returns from a six-week break as a genuine upset candidate.

Ten entered the 1 3/8-mile grass race for fillies and mare, including multiple graded stakes winner Goldy Espony, graded stakes-placed Responsibleforlove, and Kiss Me Now, a Group 1 winner in South America making her U.S. debut.

Decked Out’s absence following the American Oaks is understandable. Decked Out was tuckered out.

“It’s as simple as she gave her life to win that race,” trainer Keith Desormeaux said. “It took something out of her.”

Desormeaux gave Decked Out an extended vacation.

“After two years of running, no break, and all those consecutive stakes that culminated with a Grade 1 win, she earned some time off,” he said.

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The decision to use a marathon as a comeback prep race was by plan, Desormeaux said.

“I could have run her in the Yellow Ribbon at 1 1/16 miles, but I thought it would take more of a physical toll on her than to run her in a slower-pace marathon,” he said.

Decked Out has made 14 of her 16 starts in stakes, including a runner-up try in the Del Mar Oaks, her only start on local turf. Meanwhile, Place des Vosges seeks her first stakes win Wednesday. Conditions are made to order for the Richard Baltas-trained late-runner.

“She wants the distance, for sure,” Baltas said. “I like the way the turf course is playing, and I like the way she runs. I think she wants to be off the pace a little bit, and she’ll finish. She should be right there.”

Place des Vosges made seven starts during the Santa Anita winter-spring-summer meet, winning two, after which Baltas gave her a short break.

“We ran her a lot, she danced every dance,” he said. “Six weeks [between starts] should be really good for her.”

Place des Vosges benefits from the closers-friendly profile of the Del Mar turf and the presence of confirmed front-runners Responsibleforlove and Goldy Espony.

Goldy Espony, a three-time Grade 3 winner for Chad Brown in 2015, is making her California debut, first start since February, and first for trainer Bob Baffert.

Baffert believes Goldy Espony is fit for her first start since February.

“Those fillies that have run that distance, it doesn’t take much to get them ready,” he said.

But Baffert is concerned about a rival of Goldy Espony that has the same front-running style, Responsibleforlove.

“Chad Brown told me she’s got to be on the lead,” he said.

The CTT and TOC is race 7 on Wednesday’s eight-race card.

KEY CONTENDERS

Decked Out, by Street Boss
Last 3 Beyers: 92-88-93

◗ Wednesday’s stakes is a prep for the Grade 2, $200,000 John C. Mabee Stakes on Sept. 2, but Desormeaux said Decked Out “is training well enough.”

“She’s fit enough to win,” he said.

Place des Vosges, by Pleasantly Perfect
Last 3 Beyers: 82-88-85

◗ Baltas and jockey Corey Nakatani are 16 for 63 on turf the past three years, producing a $2.63 return for each $2 win bet.

Goldy Espony, by Vespone
Last 3 Beyers: 93-97-98

◗ Baffert was considering sending her in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap against males on Aug. 19.

“I don’t think she’s ready for that,” Baffert said.

Responsibleforlove, by Due of Marmalade
Last 3 Beyers: 89-88-67

◗ She finished second in two long-distance stakes races in spring at Santa Anita.