Holiday Disguise needs pace

ELMONT, N.Y. – It’s not as demanding as the Triple Crown, but Holiday Disguise will be making her third start in five weeks when she headlines a field of seven entered in Saturday’s $125,000 Dancin Renee Stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares at Belmont Park.

Holiday Disguise is a fourtime stakes winner, including a victory in the Grade 3 Distaff at Aqueduct going seven furlongs on April 6. Since then, Holiday Disguise has finished third as the favorite in the Grade 3 Vagrancy at Belmont on May 12 and then came back 16 days later to win the Critical Eye for New Yorkbreds going a mile on May 28.

Rice said Holiday Disguise has a tendency to get heavy when she has a long time between races. Rice’s summer goal for Holiday Disguise is the Grade 1, $500,000 Ballerina at Saratoga on Aug. 25, with this race and the Honorable Miss on July 25 as stepping-stones.

The Dancin Renee is contested at six furlongs, a distance a bit shorter than Holiday Disguise’s best.

“I think 6 1/2 or seven would be better,” Rice said. “Hopefully there’s enough pace in there to set it up for her.”

There does appear to be pace in the Dancin Renee, with Bluegrass Flag and Cozzy Spring drawn in posts 1 and 2.

Bluegrass Flag was pressing the pace in the Critical Eye before backing up to fifth, 17 lengths behind Holiday Disguise.

Cozzy Spring came off a seven-month layoff in an opencompany allowance race and made all the pace before getting beat a head by Luz Mimi.

Charlton Baker trains Cozzy Spring and also sends out Absatootly, a 5-year-old mare whose best races have come from off the pace.

Last October, Absatootly won the Iroqouis Stakes for New York-breds, rallying from last under Joe Bravo. In her two most recent races, she was much closer to the pace.

“When she gets to the front, she runs strong but she doesn’t finish,” Baker said. “She waits on horses. When she can relax and make a run in the stretch, those are her better races.”

KEY CONTENDERS

Holiday Disguise, by Harlan’s Holiday. Last 3 Beyers: 84-83-89

◗ She is most effective with pace in front of her, something she should get in this spot.

“Looks like there’s quite a bit of speed in the race, so maybe that will set up well for us, but I think it’s a pretty competitive race,” Rice said.

◗ With Irad Ortiz Jr. in Kentucky Saturday night, Junior Alvarado picks up the mount.

Still There, by Union Rags Beyers: 86-73

◗ She is undefeated in two starts, including a maiden win against open company at Keeneland in April and a firstlevel allowance win versus statebreds here on May 27.

◗ Figures to get first run on Holiday Disguise and Absatootly.

Absatootly, by Mineshaft Last 3 Beyers: 64-85-98

◗ Best race of her career came at Belmont when she was allowed to settle and make one run.

◗ Worked a half-mile in 48.05 seconds over the Belmont training track on Monday. It was the fastest of 35 works at the distance.