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Dance in the Mood waltzes at Hollywood In her first trip to Hollywood Park in 2004, Shadai Race Horse's homebred DANCE IN THE MOOD (Jpn) (Sunday Silence) had to settle for runner-up honors in the American Oaks Invitational (G1). In her second trip for Saturday's $750,000 CashCall Mile Invitational S. (G3), the five-year-old mare made sure to collect the trophy, outclassing her eight rivals to win by a decisive 1 3/4 lengths in a final time of 1:33 1/5 on the firm turf. Breaking from the far outside, Victor Espinoza settled Dance in the Mood toward the rear of the field as Flying Glitter (Glitterman) carved out quick splits of :23 and :46 1/5. Cambiocorsa (Avenue of Flags) then briefly took the lead through six furlongs in 1:09 4/5, but the Japanese star was rapidly picking off horses one by one rounding the far turn. In the stretch, Dance in the Mood's blistering momentum carried her to the front, and the Kazuo Fujisawa trainee sailed home as much the best, appearing to idle a bit through lack of competition. The only drama unfolded behind her as several scrapped for the minor placings. Sweet Talker (Stormin Fever), forwardly placed throughout, saved the runner-up spot by a half-length from the fast-finishing Luas Line (Ire) (Danehill). Dancing Edie (Moscow Ballet) was another neck back in fourth, a head in front of Cambiocorsa, who in turn had a neck to spare over Shining Energy. Toupie (GB) (Intikhab) and Flying Glitter trailed, while Hollywood Story (Wild Rush) scratched in favor of a bid in Sunday's Vanity Invitational H. (G1). As the slight favorite at 5-2, Dance in the Mood returned $7.20, $4.40 and $3.40 while spearheading the $1 exotics worth $16.40 (exacta), $129.20 (trifecta) and $718.30 (9-5-7-4 superfecta). Sweet Talker gave back $5 and $3.80 as the nearly 7-2 third choice, and 13-1 outsider Luas Line paid $7 to show. Dance in the Mood was scoring her fourth stakes victory, following wins in the 2004 editions of the Oka Sho (Japanese One Thousand Guineas) (Jpn-G1) and Jiji Press Hai Flower Cup (Jpn-G3), as well as the Victoria Mile (Jpn-G1) this May. In addition to her runner-up effort in the American Oaks, the dark bay has four other stakes placings on her resume, all against world-class males. She was second in the 2004 Mile Championship (Jpn-G1), 2004 Tenno Sho (Autumn) (Jpn-G1) and 2006 Yomiuri Milers Cup (Jpn-G2), along with a third in the 2005 Tenno Sho (Autumn). Her overall mark reads 21-6-4-1 with earnings in excess of $4.8 million. Out of the Nijinsky II mare Dancing Key, the winner is a full sister to Japanese champions Dance Partner (Jpn) and Dance in the Dark, and she is a half-sister to multiple Japanese stakes victor Air Dublin (Tony Bin). She hails from the prolific family of Native Partner (Raise a Native), the dam of English and French champion sprinter Ajdal and English Group 1 winner Formidable. Native Partner's most illustrious descendants include sensational juvenile champion Arazi, Canadian champion Hero's Love and English Group 1 winner Noverre.
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