Finger Lakes: Capella Dancer fires off long layoff in Susan B. Anthony

Capella Dancer, making her first start since November, rallied from fourth in the stretch and made up a 3 1/2-length deficit in the final furlong to win the $50,000 Susan B. Anthony Stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares Saturday at Finger Lakes.

A 4-year-old filly trained by Michael Ferraro for Happy Face Racing Stable, Capella Dancer ($16.60) was making her first appearance since winning a nonwinners-of-three-lifetime allowance last Nov. 23. Princess Phoebe, taken wide on the muddy track by Pedro Rodriguez, came into the top of the stretch with a 2 1/2-length advantage, but jockey Joel Cruz saved ground cutting the corner with Capella Dancer and finished fast just to the inside of the pacesetter to draw clear by 1 1/4 lengths.

In winning for the fourth time in 12 starts, Capella Dancer completed six furlongs in 1:12.07. Princess Phoebe, who was bidding for her sixth straight win, settled for second, 2 1/4 lengths in front of Saltamontes. Nicole’s Miss El finished seventh as the 3-1 favorite.