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Tap Dance steps into favorite's role
BALTIMORE (AP) -- Here's the Scoop on the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes: Gene Cilio's horse is healthy, rested and ready to win. Scoop is expected to test favored Tap Dance in Friday's Grade II race for 3-year-old fillies. Only five horses will compete in the 1 1/8-mile race at Pimlico Race Course. Tap Dance, coming off a decent performance in the Kentucky Oaks two weeks ago, was a 7-5 choice in the morning line. Scoop was listed at 2-1, ahead of Two Item Limit (5-2), Indy Glory (8-1) and Vines of Justice (8-1). Scoop was prepared to compete in the Kentucky Oaks until a medical exam uncovered an internal problem. "She never gave me any reason to scope her, but before we put up $5,000 to enter, I decided to have her scoped," said Cilio, who trains the dark brown filly. "I thought she was doing great, but they found some mucous and a little infection." Cilio immediately changed course and set his sights on the $200,000 Black-Eyed Susan. "We treated her and she's doing great again," Cilio said. Scoop has won three of seven career races. She last ran on April 14, winning the National Jockey Club Oaks at Sportsman's Park. In her previous race, Scoop finished fifth in the Fair Grounds Oaks in March. "She had a really bad trip that day and only got beat by four lengths," Cilio said. "She really hadn't learned to be racehorse yet. She's come a long way since then." Tap Dance took fifth in the Kentucky Oaks after coming within a neck of the leader entering the final turn. She will run Friday under Jerry Bailey, who in March guided Tap Dance to a four-length victory in the Bonnie Miss at Gulfstream Park. Tap Dance has won two of four races this year and three of nine lifetime. Jorge Chavez, who rode Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos, will be aboard Indy Glory for the first time. Indy Glory took fourth in the Bonnie Miss, the only time in six races she hasn't finished in the money.
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