Folklore’s 2006 Debut Is Eclipsed by a Stablemate

Even though Folklore, all but a lock to win an Eclipse Award in six days as the 2-year-old filly champion of 2005, was beaten in her 3-year-old debut Monday, the result of the $150,000 Santa Ynez Stakes was agreeable to owner-breeders Bob and Beverly Lewis and trainer Wayne Lukas.

Dance Daily was coupled in the betting with the 1-5 favorite, who finished third, and she saved the day for the Lewises and Lukas, winning the Grade II by a nose over 9-2 second choice Talullah Lula.

Jon Court rode the daughter of Five Star Day, who would have been in the vicinity of 15-1 if not coupled, after Victor Espinoza, who was scheduled to ride, took off after the day’s third race because of illness.

This was the second stakes win of the meet for Lukas surrendered by Espinoza. He also called in sick Jan. 2 when With Distinction, who wound up being ridden by Javier Santiago, won the El Conejo.

This victory was the third in nine starts for Dance Daily, but her first outside Kentucky.

Folklore, who ended 2005 with consecutive Grade I victories, including a 1 1/2 -length triumph in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, made the lead with no pressure under jockey Edgar Prado, got away with a pedestrian half-mile (46.06), but weakened late and fell to third, beaten by slightly more than three-quarters of a length. It was the first time the daughter of Tiznow had finished worse than second in eight races.

“We kept it in the family,” Lukas said in reference to both fillies’ being owned by the Lewises, who were not at Santa Anita. “Folklore is already a Grade I winner and she will go on to bigger and better things, so we’re happy to get Dance Daily a graded stakes win.

“Folklore got a little late at the end, but she was coming off a long layoff [she had been idle since Oct. 29] on three works. We’ll build off that and I’m not too concerned. The first two fillies both had a race over the track and I believe that’s very important.”

Prado, who had been two for two with Folklore, also saw no need to fret, noting that she’d had to spot seven to nine pounds to her five opponents.

“The 123 pounds didn’t help,” he said. “She didn’t get tired. She came home running, but she just got run down today. We’ve got a race in her now and there’s better things ahead this year.”

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There will be a pick six carry-over of $185,319 when racing resumes Thursday at Santa Anita.

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Fast Laner, who was claimed for $40,000 on Nov. 25, rallied to win the $60,000 Dixie Flag at Aqueduct. A race later, Strummer, a 7-1 shot, won his third in a row, wiring five opponents in the $65,000 Jimmy Winkfield.