Kaplan still 50-50 on starting Musical Romance in Mike Sherman Memorial

Last updated: 10/5/12 3:03 PM

Kaplan still 50-50 on starting Musical Romance in Mike
Sherman Memorial

Musical Romance’s was last seen at Calder taking the Princess Rooney

(Coady Photography)

With the possibility of a somewhat surprising appearance by Pinnacle Racing
Stable and trainer Bill Kaplan’s Eclipse Award winner Musical Romance in the
$55,000

Mike Sherman Memorial Stakes, the complexion of Saturday’s 6 1/2-furlong
filly and mare sprint at Calder Race Course could change drastically once
scratches are in.

“Maybe we’ll run and maybe we’ll scratch her when she gets to the paddock,”
Kaplan said with a smile when referring to the Mike Sherman Memorial status of
his champion mare one day before the race. “But seriously, we have no real
timeframe to make a decision on whether we’re going to run or not. So far, I’ve
been waiting for any little thing to come up that would make us scratch, and so
far, there hasn’t been anything.”

In her last start, Musical Romance shipped to Belmont Park for the Grade 2
Gallant Bloom Handicap, where she was positioned fourth early, backed up to
fifth on the turn and then came on late to finish third. Off that performance, a
defense of her Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint title remained the ultimate
goal for the daughter of Concorde’s Tune, with Kaplan employed to find the path
most conducive to repeat success.

“For me it comes down to two choices,” he explained. “We can run tomorrow and
then work her once before going to the Breeders’ Cup, or I can keep her in the
barn and give her three workouts before going. It’s just a matter of what I
think she’ll get the most from. But this race would put her on the same schedule
as last year when she had a race (Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes)
four weeks out.

“In her last race, we didn’t ask her for too much and I thought she ran
great,” Kaplan added. “She was really finishing well, which is what we wanted
coming off a break. So for me, that race served its purpose, and I think
(Saturday’s) race, if we choose to run, would further serve that purpose.

“And honestly it’s not a race where I worry about her winning, or about
whether the distance is right, or about the other fillies and mares that are
going to run. I’m just trying to get my horse back to the Breeders’ Cup in the
best shape possible.”

Musical Romance was a 20-1 surprise in last year’s Breeders’ Cup

(Breeders’ Cup Ltd.)

Even though Kaplan steadfastly states that Musical Romance’s possible
participation in the Mike Sherman Memorial is completely Breeders’ Cup-centric,
there appears to be some sentiment shown that suggests the trainer wants to give
his prized trainee a farewell race over her home track before heading to the
Breeders’ Cup in California in early November and then to the sales ring in the
Fasig-Tipton November breeding stock sale.

“I’ve been saying that for a few months; that I would like to run her here
one more time for the fans,” the horseman admitted. “She loves training over
this track, she loves running over this track, and I think it would be great if
we gave people another opportunity to come out and see her run.”

Throughout her 39-race career, Musical Romance has competed at Calder 24
times, winning seven races, including this year’s Grade 1 Princess Rooney
Handicap, earning $573,486 of her $1.6 million bankroll locally.

The now five-year-old mare also owns Calder main track stakes wins in the
2011 editions of the Barb’s Dancer, U Can Do It Handicap, and Ema Bovary, in
addition to a turf-stakes triumph in the 2010 Sweettrickydancer. She was also
second, beaten a neck, in the 2011 running of the Princess Rooney.

Musical Romance began her career at Calder on September 19, 2009.

Among the mare will have to face if she does indeed start in the Mike Sherman
Memorial are Princess Rooney third Nakano and Golden Mystery, who set the pace
in the Princess Rooney before tiring late to finish seventh.

One race later at Calder, six runners will line up for the $75,000
Kenny Noe Jr. Handicap
going 6 1/2 furlongs. Spectacular Sky, currently riding a three-race
win streak, is cross-entered to both races but will have to take on Grade 2 hero Indiano if she goes in the Kenny Noe.

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