Tango Time ends up in stakes after all

ELMONT, N.Y. – Todd Pletcher tried to play it conservatively with the filly Tango Time, entering her back in a second-level allowance race – rather than a stakes – off an eye-catching first-level allowance win at Saratoga. But when rain forced the allowance race off the turf Sept. 30, Pletcher was left with little choice.

Thus, Tango Time was one of 13 fillies and mares entered Wednesday to run in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Athenia Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Belmont Park.

Tango Time, a daughter of Danehill Dancer, has run twice in this country. In her first start July 11, she broke slowly and finished fourth, beaten 1 3/4 lengths. In her second start, she overcame traffic to explode through an opening in the final furlong and win a 1 1/16-mile race by 2 1/4 lengths.

“She’s a quality filly,” Pletcher said. “The first time, she broke slow. The second time, she broke a little better, put herself in a good spot, a hole opened up, and she shot through it impressively.”

Javier Castellano will ride Tango Time from post 9.

Lady Lara and Coffee Clique, the second- and fourth-place finishers behind Recepta in the Grade 3 Noble Damsel going a mile here Sept. 19, head the field for the Athenia. Lady Lara, who drew post 13, and Coffee Clique, who drew post 10, both won stakes over Belmont’s turf course last year. Coffee Clique won the Grade 1 Just a Game, and Lady Lara won the Pebbles.

Also entered in the Athenia were A Little Bit Sassy, Baffle Me, Faufiler, Granny Mc’s Kitten, Joy, Keri Belle, Rusty Slipper, Speed Seeker, Stellar Path, and Wiener Valkyrie.