Woodbine: Blues Dancing back with own kind in Eternal Search

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Blues Dancing gave trainer Katerina Vassilieva her first stakes win in the seven-furlong Lady Angela here May 20. Now, after finishing ninth when facing males in the Bold Ruckus at six furlongs on the turf here June 9, Blues Dancing is returning to the main track and the company of her own sex for Sunday’s $125,000 Eternal Search Stakes at 1 1/16 miles.

The Eternal Search, like the Lady Angela and Bold Ruckus, is restricted to offspring of Ontario sires.

“The last turf experiment didn’t work out,” said Vassilieva, who conditions Blues Dancing for owner Dominic Triumbari. “She didn’t run that badly on the turf at Gulfstream this winter but I had my suspicions. It doesn’t look like she’s built for turf, but I had to try. It was the right spot. Now we’ll stick with what she does best, Polytrack.”

Blues Dancing will be racing for the first time in nine weeks in the Eternal Search.

“There wasn’t really a spot for her,” said Vassilieva. “She’s Ontario-sired, with no conditions. It had been a long time since she had a break. I used the time to freshen her up.”

The Eternal Search also will be Blue’s Dancing’s first try around two turns. The Lady Angela had been her longest test to date and her two previous wins came at five furlongs, in a $20,000 maiden claimer here last fall and restricted first-level allowance in her local sophomore bow.

“I hope she can do it,” said Vassilieva. “She handled seven furlongs successfully and did it in a stakes race. She’s able to relax now in her races. Usually if they make two turns, the first time they do it successfully.”

Blues Dancing will have Patrick Husbands in the irons for the first time as her regular rider, Luis Contreras, will be aboard It’s Gail for trainer Bob Tiller.

“She’s not an overly complicated horse,” said Vassilieva. “Patrick’s a smart rider. They’ll figure each other out.”

Vassilieva, who heads into the weekend with a 7-for-17 record at the meeting, has 12 horses here, including five 2-year-olds.

Political Rebel, her first juvenile starter, was prominent early after breaking from post 1 but faded to finish seventh in a $50,000 maiden claiming race at six furlongs here last Sunday.

“He needed the race to get educated, said Vassilieva. “He’d worked good in the mornings, but he needs to do everything a couple of times to get it right. I expect better results next time.”

Political Rebel, owned by Triumbari, was purchased for $8,000 at the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society’s select yearling sale here.

Vassilieva also is looking forward to the debut of Trade Rumor, who was purchased for $40,000 at Keeneland last September.

“He’s a really nice Broken Vow gelding,” she said.