Woodbine: Dance to the Moon looks ready to rebound

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Dance to the Moon seems poised to find the winner’s circle in Wednesday’s seventh race at Woodbine, an Ontario-sired allowance for nonwinners of three. The seven-furlong event is the final leg of the pick four, which has a guaranteed pool of $75,000.

Dance to the Moon graduated in a seven-furlong maiden special on Oct. 31. Three weeks later, she doubled up in an Ontario-sired allowance, in which she beat a weak field after setting a sleepy pace. She failed to stay 1 1/16 miles on the frigid final day of the 2010 meet.

Dance to the Moon has run in two 5 1/2-furlong allowances here this spring. In the first, she wound up fourth after a four-wide stalking trip. Most recently May 11, she made up some ground over a speed-conducive track to finish third behind the heavily favored Princess Chelsea.

Slade Callaghan will ride Dance to the Moon for trainer Mike Doyle, who has an 11 percent strike rate third time off a layoff, with a return on investment of $1.65 over the past five years.

The rapid 3-year-old Medabuck is meeting older opposition for the second race in a row. She was favored in her season debut April 22, but came up empty in the final furlong over a track that wasn’t kind to speed.

The highlight of Medabuck’s 2-year-old season was her victory in the restricted Victorian Queen Stakes over Bubbles to the Top, who is still a maiden. Jim McAleney will ride her Wednesday for trainer Terry Jordan, who is taking the blinkers off.

Nice Lady is shortening up to a suitable distance off a fading fifth-place finish last Wednesday night. She finished fifth after tracking a slow pace in that two-turn allowance, which was her second start after an unsuccessful winter stint on the dirt at Parx Racing.

Trainer Scott Fairlie has fared okay with short-term comebackers, but not when they cut back from a route to a sprint. Gerry Olguin rides Nice Lady after a one-race absence.

Stretch-runner Mohawk Road won a fairly slow six-furlong allowance May 1 under Patrick Husbands, who retains the mount.

Clementis got away slowly before closing belatedly on the outside for fourth behind Dance to the Moon on May 11. Her trainer, Alison Crook, possesses excellent numbers second time off a layoff.

Rounding out the field for the feature are Bailey’s Ring, Special Moment, and Bold Vixen.