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Musical Romance delivers winning note in Masters MUSICAL ROMANCE (Concorde's Tune) rallied from just off the pace to a clear lead in midstretch and prevailed by a neck over the fast-finishing Ariana D (Rock Slide) in Saturday's $400,800 Presque Isle Downs Masters S. (G2), recording her first graded stakes win in the process. Owned by Pinnacle Racing Stable and trainer William Kaplan, the Florida invader completed 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16 2/5 over the Tapeta track with regular rider Juan Leyva. Musical Romance was forwardly placed from the start, stalking a couple of lengths back in third as 56-1 longshot Waccamaw (War Chant) whipped through opening splits in :22 and :44 3/5 with 46-1 outsider Promised Mandate (Full Mandate) chasing her. The latter rival took over the lead in upper stretch, but Musical Romance made her move to the front passing the eighth pole and opened a clear lead in deep stretch. Ariana D was last of 12 rivals after a half-mile and was forced to go nine wide turning for home, but she came flying late on the far outside to make it interesting in the final yards, just missing on the wire. It was another half-length back to the late-running Shotgun Gulch (Thunder Gulch) in third. Musical Romance, the near 9-1 fifth choice, paid $19.80, $6.60 and $4.60 to her supporters. Ariana D was off as the near 3-1 favorite in the full 12-horse field of distaffers and Shotgun Gulch went postward as the 9-2 third choice. Promised Mandate held fourth and was followed by Jenny's So Great (Greatness), Kitty in a Tizzy (Tiznow), Love That Dance (Not for Love), Sweet Lorena (Langfuhr), Waccamaw, Beat the Blues (Great Pyramid [Ire]), D'wild Ride (D'wildcat) and Worstcasescenario (Forbidden Apple). Malibu Win (Malibu Moon) was scratched and Diamond Song (Unbridled's Song) didn't draw in from the also-eligibles list. Bred in Florida by Ocala Stud, Musical Romance sold for only $22,000 as an OBS April two-year-old in 2009. She recorded her first stakes win last year, taking the Sweettrickydancer S. at Calder, and also placed in five black-type events at three. The dark bay really come on this spring/summer for her connections, winning the Ema Bovary S. and U Can Do It H. in succession prior to a neck second in the Princess Rooney H. (G1) on July 9. Musical Romance rebounded from that narrow setback with a victory in the Barbs Dancer S. in early August and entered the Masters off a third in the grassy Connie Ann S. on August 28. With Saturday's $240,00 payday, Musical Romance has now earned $637,850 from a 31-8-4-7 line. The four-year-old is first foal out of the winning Slew Gin Fizz mare Candlelightdinner, who is also the dam of last year's Puerto Rican champion two-year-old Vuelve Ruben M. (Concerto); a juvenile gelding by Trippi; and a yearling colt and a 2011 filly, both by Montbrook. The mare is a half-sister to multiple stakes winners Sea of Green (Seacliff) and Lady Gin (Saint Ballado), and is closely related to Grade 1 winner Rigoletta (Concerto) and last year's Delta Jackpot (G3) winner Gourmet Dinner (Trippi), who also finished second in the Fountain of Youth (G2) earlier this year. This is also the female family of Grade 1 winner Collect the Cash (Dynaformer), dam of Grade 1 hero and recent Pacific Classic (G1) third-placer Stately Victor (Ghostzapper); Grade 3 victor Dr. Bobby A. (Dr. Carter); and Grade 3 winner Nome (Double Sonic).
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