Tahnee pointing to Ballade Stakes next

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Tahnee made a successful return to the races after nearly two years away and now will be pointed to the $125,000 Ballade Stakes on May 18, trainer Mark Fournier said.

Tahnee had not raced since finishing fifth in the Passing Mood Stakes as a 3-year-old in July 2013 but looked like she hadn’t missed a beat as she took a first-level allowance field gate to wire in a five-furlong Polytrack sprint here May 2. She finished strongly under a hand ride from jockey Eurico Da Silva and was just 0.12 seconds off the track record. She earned a career-best 84 Beyer Speed Figure in the win.

Fournier said he was confident with Tahnee’s condition heading into the race but didn’t know what to expect once the gates opened.

“It’s always a concern with a year and a half off,” Fournier said. “When we breezed her, she was galloping out in all of her breezes real strong. We were pretty confident she was fit enough, but with a year and a half off, you’re always worried. When she ran, obviously she was tight enough. She’s just a nice filly.”

Fournier said Tahnee joined his barn in January after a lengthy recovery from injury.

“She had hurt herself at the end of her 3-year-old year,” he said. “She had some soft-tissue damage, but she’s healed up, and she came out of the race really good.”