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Chic Dancer scores in Modesty

Chic Dancer earned her first graded score here (Benoit Photo) S.D. Brilie Partnership's homebred CHIC DANCER (Joyeux Danseur) tracked in third as Round Heels (Ire) (Daggers Drawn) set the pace in Saturday's $150,000 Modesty H. (G3) at Arlington Park, before commencing her run along the inside to take the 1 3/16-mile soft turf test by a half-length. With Chris Emigh aboard, the Christine Janks-trained five-year-old stopped the clock in 1:57 2/5 as the 8-1 sixth choice and paid out $18.40, $6.20 and $4.20. Chic Dancer was quickest from the gate, but quickly ceded front-running duties to Round Heels, who set fractions of :23 4/5, :48 1/5 and 1:14 1/5. Potra Clasica (Arg) (Potrillon [Arg]) was racing along close in second, with Chic Dancer saving ground along the rail in third. As Round Heels entered the turn, Potra Clasica began to give way and Chic Dancer began to move. Slipping through along the rail, the bay mare passed a tiring Round Heels, but then had to stave off the challenge from Louve Royale (Ire) (Peintre Celebre), who had circled the field while closing from last. Chic Dancer was a half-length up on Louve Royale at the wire to earn her first graded score. "She ran a great race," Emigh explained. "She was really relaxed for me, more relaxed than she ever has been before. She was like a pony horse. She never turned a hair. I had a ton of horse under me the whole way and when I asked her turning for home, she just exploded."

Louve Royale was the 3-2 favorite in the Modesty, but couldn't make up enough ground late to reward her backers with win payouts. Instead, she returned $3 and $2.40 to place, ending the $66.40 exacta. Minge Cove (Sandpit [Brz]) raced along in midpack and moved up to just miss second by a nose, giving back $6.60 and completing the $697 trifecta at 17-1. It was another 3 1/4 lengths back to fourth placer Round Heels, who finished the 2-7-3-1 superfecta that paid $1,623.20. Completing the order under the wire were Atlantic Frost (Stormy Atlantic), Royal Copenhagen (Fr) (Inchinor [GB]), Cursora (Arg) (Candy Stripes), Potra Clasica, Pleasant Quality (Elusive Quality) and Modjadji (Pioneering)."I had a lot of confidence in her," Janks said. "She's been sick since her last start and had to miss a race coming in. I was just hoping she would relax and be fit enough to carry it all the way. I was concerned (about the distance) but when they moved the fence out to the five lane, my husband, Barry, said, 'She's never lost from the five lane,' but I said, 'She's never run against these kind of horses before.'"

Chic Dancer captured the Reluctant Guest S. prior to this one and has also placed in the Double Delta S. and Yo Tambien S. during her career. The Kentucky-bred now owns an 18-8-1-4 record and she's accumulated $255,031 in lifetime earnings. Out of the Beau's Eagle mare Stylish Accent, Chic Dancer counts an unraced juvenile named Hangman (Officer) as a half-brother and an unnamed Honour and Glory yearling filly as a half-sister.

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