Musical Romance finds room in Sweettrickydancer

MIAMI - Trainer Bill Kaplan probably had a few anxious moments when Musical Romance was forced to steady along the hedge awaiting racing room approaching the stretch of Sunday's $55,000 Sweettrickydancer Stakes at Calder.

But once his 3-year-old found room to run, Kaplan had little to worry about as Musical Romance finished full of run along the hedge for a half-length victory in the overnight turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

Musical Romance, a daughter of Concorde's Tune, rallied from nearly a dozen lengths off the pace of Simply Impressive to register her first stakes win for co-owner Kaplan and the Pinnacle Racing Stable. Regina Twain finished a length clear of Trip for A.J. who also held well after forcing a fast pace from the outset.

Joanie's Catch, who was graded stakes placed four times this winter on dirt, was never a serious factor, finishing a disappointing eighth as the 7-2 second choice in a field of 11 3-year-old fillies.

Musical Romance returned $8.80 as the tepid favorite under jockey Manoel Cruz. Final time for the mile over a firm course was 1:34.88.