Army Mule Represented By First Graded Winner in Herecomesthebride

[Wandering Eyes]

NBS Stable and Elements Racing LLC's Danse Macabre (Army Mule) was making her seasonal debut at a juicy quote of 12-1 in Saturday's GIII Herecomesthebride S. at Gulfstream Park and fought her way to the wire to become the first graded winner for her successful young sire (by Friesan Fire) with a defeat of the U.S.-debuting Papilio (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}).

Stretching out to a route of ground for the first time and visiting the races for the first time since checking in third as the favorite in the GIII Matron S. at Aqueduct last Oct. 8, the $11,000 Keeneland January short yearling turned $55,000 OBS March breezer was eager early on, but not overly so, and settled well enough three wide and a bit more than a length off pacesetting Moonage Daydream (Candy Ride {Arg}). Put to a hard drive by Adam Beschizza while racing three deep at the three-eighths pole, Danse Macabre hit the front once heads were turned for home, but immediately had Papilio–four wide the trip–breathing down her neck. The latter drifted out in upper stretch, then came in at the furlong grounds and appeared to exchange bumps with Danse Macabre before just failing to finish her job. Cairo Consort (Cairo Prince), the odds-on pop off an amazing victory in the GIII Sweetest Chant S. last time, raced behind midfield in a race run at a modest tempo, and got home well on the grandstand side, but too late.

A debut second sprinting over the Churchill main track last June, Danse Macabre won her maiden with a 78 Beyer in a Colonial turf sprint the following month ahead of a runner-up effort in Saratoga's Bolton Landing S. Aug. 21. The chestnut filly struck from close range in the valuable Untapable S. at Kentucky Downs Sept. 13 before closing her season in the Matron.

“Numbers-wise, she fit in here really well,” said trainer Kelsey Danner, winning the first graded stakes of her young career. “The distance was the question. She's trained like she wanted to go farther. Her last couple races she wanted to probably go a little farther. I think Kentucky Downs probably plays like 7 1/2 [furlongs]. She's got a lot of heart. She's just a classy filly. She does her job every day.”

Pedigree Notes:

Danse Macabre is the first foal to the races from her dam, a winning half-sister to three-time graded winner Cambodia (War Front), whose two Grade I placings include a third to Wuheida (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the 2017 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf over a mile and a quarter. The filly's stakes-winning third dam is responsible for three-time South African champion sprinter and two-time Grade 1 winner Overarching (Arch); GSW Temeraine (Arch); SW Dead Red (Out of Place); and the dam of GI Natalma S. winner Abscond (Blame).

Sylphide is also the dam of a 2-year-old Liam's Map filly that was bought back on a bid of $240,000 at KEESEP last fall and a yearling filly by Always Dreaming. She is due for a full-sibling to Danse Macabre this season.

 

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