By Stefanie Grimm
Finally out from under And Tell Me Nolies's (Arrogate) shadow, ICE DANCING (Frosted) broke through for her first graded-stakes win in two prior tries and earned 10 points on the road to the Kentucky Oaks with a 3 1/4-length closing performance in the rescheduled GIII Santa Ynez S. Third behind the daughter of Arrogate when debuted at Del Mar Aug. 14, she rebounded with another third second-time out in the GI TVG Del Mar Debutante S. but had to settle for fourth in her first try at the Great Race Place in the GII Chandelier S. Brought back to Del Mar Nov. 25, Ice Dancing led gate-to-wire to break her maiden in maiden special weight company before returning to Arcadia, CA for the Santa Ynez.
The 1-2 post-time favorite given the Friday scratch of 'TDN Rising Star' Justique (Justify), Ice Dancing, breaking widest of the field, took back to let a trio of horses from the Bob Baffert barn go by on her inside. Paced up the backstretch run by a dueling Parody (Distorted Humor) and Fast and Shiny (Bernardini), the grey sat two and then three wide up the backstretch run. Fast and Shiny, already on the lead, kicked on into the far turn, gaining separation from Parody as the remaining quartet grouped up behind her. Ice Dancing, still three wide, loomed from last and came with a sweeping move to engage the pacesetter past the quarter pole. The top pair turned for home together but Ice Dancing had more to give and overtook her rival with a furlong to run. Satin Doll, the longest shot on the board at 12-1, ran up the rail to pass Parody for second but Ice Dancing was already home.
“She jumped well out of there and it felt like the pace was really strong, so I kind of kept myself off of the pace a little bit and it felt like she was traveling well,” said winning jockey Favien Prat, who was aboard for the maiden win at Del Mar. “She responded well when I asked her to make her move.”
“She's a big, strong filly, so the GIII Las Virgenes is a big possibility,” said trainer Richard Mandella when asked about her next engagement. “More than likely…We'll have a look.”
Pedigree Note:
With Sunday's victory, Ice Dancing becomes the fifth graded winner for her sire, MGISW Frosted. A half-sister to MGSP Fredericksburg (Speightstown), SW Dancing To Town (Speightstown) and GSP Goliad (War Front), dual stakes winning Welcome Dance failed to produce a live foal in the last two seasons.
Sunday, Santa Anita
SANTA YNEZ S.-GIII, $200,000, Santa Anita, 1-8, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:22.78, ft.
1–ICE DANCING, 120, f, 3, by Frosted
1st Dam: Welcome Dance (MSW, $164,442),
by Henny Hughes
2nd Dam: Choreograph, by Dynaformer
3rd Dam: Dance for Vanny, by Sovereign Dancer
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O-Perry R
Bass II & Ramona Bass; B-Bass Stables, LLC (KY); T-Richard E.
Mandella; J-Flavien Prat. $120,000. Lifetime Record: 5-2-0-2,
$219,600. Click for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk
Nick Rating: A.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Satin Doll, 120, f, 3, Congrats–Cliff's Secret, by The Cliff's
Edge. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($60,000 Ylg
'21 KEESEP). O-The Del Mar Group; B-Upson Downs Farm (KY);
T-Doug F. O'Neill. $40,000.
3–Fast and Shiny, 120, f, 3, Bernardini–Spotted Heart, by Lion
Hearted. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE.
($150,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Michael Pegram, Karl Watson &
Paul Weitman; B-Douglas Scharbauer (KY); T-Bob Baffert.
$24,000.
Margins: 3 1/4, HD, 7. Odds: 0.50, 12.50, 11.10.
Also Ran: Parody, Huntingcoco. Scratched: Justique.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
