Half-sisters square off in Dancin Renee Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – In addition to sharing the same mother, half-sisters Holiday Disguise and Midnight Disguise share similar profiles in running style, race record, and rate of success.

Saturday, the two females out of the dam Thin Disguise will race against each other for the first time in the $100,000 Dancin Renee for New York-bred females going six furlongs at Belmont Park.

Holiday Disguise, a 5-year-old by Harlan’s Holiday, has won 7 of 15 starts – for a .466 win rate – and is dropping back into New York-bred company for the first time in three starts. In February, she won the Broadway Stakes, also at six furlongs for New York-bred females, by 4 1/4 lengths. Her two most recent starts have come against open company where she finished fifth in both the Grade 3 Distaff and Grade 3 Vagrancy handicaps.

“I think she’s fine at three-quarters, especially if there is some pace in there,” said Linda Rice, who trains Holiday Disguise for Sheila Rosenblum. “We figured out she resents it when you take too much of a hold of her.”

Holiday Disguise finished third in this race last year as the 4-5 favorite.

Midnight Disguise, a 4-year-old daughter of Midnight Lute, has won 5 of 11 starts – for a .454 winning rate – and is coming off a second-place finish behind Kathryn the Wise in the Critical Eye Stakes going a mile on May 27. She won her lone try at six furlongs, taking a starter allowance at Aqueduct in December 2017.

“I think she likes the big sweeping turns at Belmont,” Rice said. “Obviously, it would be better if it was a mile. She won going three-quarters at Aqueduct, and it’s the best opportunity we have right now.”

The sisters do their best running from off the pace. How much pace is in the Dancin Renee will be determined by what trainer Chris Englehart opts to do with Leah’s Dream. Englehart entered the speedy filly, who has won 10 of 26 career starts, because he didn’t see any other options. As of Thursday, he wasn’t 100 percent sure if Leah’s Dream would run.

“I was only going to run if it came up sloppy, but there’s only six in there – I’m not sure what I’m going to do,” Englehart said. “She looks like she’s overmatched to me.”

Out of Orbit has speed as does Pauseforthecause, though she has been successful from a stalking position as well. Jc’s Shooting Star will most likely come from off the pace.

KEY CONTENDERS

Holiday Disguise, by Harlan’s Holiday
Last 3 Beyers: 87-76-82

◗ She is 6 for 9 with four stakes win against New York-breds.

◗ She was beaten 3 1/2 lengths in the Vagrancy, a race from which third-place finisher Separationofpowers came back to win the Grade 3 Bed O’ Roses here on June 7.

Midnight Disguise, by Midnight Lute
Last 3 Beyers: 88-63-77

◗ Shortens up in distance after finishing second to a much-the-best Kathryn the Wise in the Critical Eye on May 27.

◗ Has finished worse than second only three times, twice over wet surfaces, once going a two-turn 1 1/8 miles.