‘Setback' forces Guarana out of Ballerina Stakes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Guarana, a three-time Grade 1-winning filly, will not make a scheduled start in next Saturday’s Grade 1, $300,000 Ballerina Stakes at Saratoga, trainer Chad Brown said Friday.

“She had a setback, she’s not going to be able to run,” Brown said. “We’re getting her looked at right now. We sent her to Rood and Riddle, but she didn’t come out of her last work well.”

On July 25, Guarana worked a half-mile in 50.03 seconds over the Saratoga main track.

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Guarana, a 4-year-old daughter of Ghostzapper, would most likely have been the favorite in the Ballerina. She is 2 for 2 this year, including a gutsy half-length victory over Mia Mischief in the Grade 1 Madison Stakes on July 11 at Keeneland. In that race, Guarana had the lead, was passed by Mia Mischief, and came back on again to get the victory.

At 3, Guarana won the Grade 1 Acorn at Belmont and the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks here.

Mia Mischief, meanwhile, is also not going to run in the Ballerina. Trainer Steve Asmussen said she will be pointed to the Grade 2, $150,000 Honorable Miss going six furlongs here on Sept. 6.

Among those expected for the Ballerina are Bellafina, Come Dancing, Cookie Dough, Letruska, Serengeti Empress, and Victim of Love. Pink Sands is possible.

Come Dancing, who won last year’s Ballerina, worked five furlongs in 1:00.81 Friday morning over Saratoga’s main track. With jockey Javier Castellano aboard, Come Dancing went her first quarter in 23.99 seconds, hit the wire in 47.96, and went out a furlong past the wire in 12.85.

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It was a slower work than what had become typical for Come Dancing, who put in several fast works late last year and earlier this year.

“There’s just no need,” trainer Carlos Martin said. “She’s a 6-year-old mare. She knows her job. We slowed her down with the regular [exercise rider] the last two works and then I told Javier just trick her and get her off the inside and keep her in the middle of the track and then bring her in a little bit, and that’s what he did.”

Come Dancing is coming off a second-place finish to Victim of Love in the Grade 3 Vagrancy at Belmont on June 27.