Holy Helena shows her class in Dance Smartly victory

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The popular favorite Holy Helena took some time to get into gear in Saturday’s Grade 2 Dance Smartly Stakes, but once she did, it was all over but the crying for her seven rivals.

Holy Helena, the 2017 Queen’s Plate winner, raced in second along the backstretch in the 10-furlong turf event while the sharp European import Rock my Love set honest fractions on a clear lead.

Get Explicit made an early bid into second on the far turn, where Holy Helena appeared to stall a little. After straightening out for the stretch run, Holy Helena began to make up good ground. She went on to prevail by 1 1/4 lengths over the wide-closing Starship Jubilee, who was Canada’s champion turf female in each of the past two years.

Art of Almost finished another neck back in third, and Rock my Love faded to fourth.

Holy Helena returned $4.70 and covered the distance in 2:02.08 over a course labeled “good.” Javier Castellano rode her for trainer Jimmy Jerkens.

“I like the way she did it today,” Castellano said. “She’s a phenomenal filly. I’ve always kept track of her career. I like the way she settled today, kept focus on target. I didn’t panic at the three-eighths pole when somebody moved up outside me. I just sat still and made one run. The way she finished was unbelievable.”

A 5-year-old daughter of Ghostzapper owned by Stronach Stable, Holy Helena earned $126,000 of the $196,000 purse.