Dontlookbackatall and Danse Macabre seek return to form in $150K Autumn Days
At 0h05, on October 19, 2025 • By Belmont Park
Trainer Miguel Clement sends out a pair of classy mares in Dontlookbackatall and Danse Macabre as they seek a return to form in Sunday’s $150,000 Autumn Days, a six-furlong outer turf sprint for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, at Belmont at the Big A.
West Point Thoroughbreds, Scarlet Oak Racing and Titletown Racing Stables’ Dontlookbackatall [post 8, Ricardo Santana, Jr.] was a last-out fifth in the Floral Park over course and distance on September 13. The 5-year-old Peace and Justice dark bay entered that race from a strong 1 1/2-length second to multiple graded stakes-winner Future Is Now in the 5 1/2-furlong Listed Smart and Fancy on August 15 at Saratoga Race Course.
Dontlookbackatall seeks her first win in her eighth start since last year’s Grade 3 Caress at Saratoga, which followed stakes scores in the Pennsylvania-bred Power by Far at Parx Racing and the Listed License Fee over Sunday’s course and distance last May. She has banked over $700,000 through a 20-6-7-0 record.
“Dontlookbackatall has been a bit frustrating this year by our standards,” Clement said. “Last year, she was pure brilliance. This year, we’ve been struggling to gain back that form and we are not entirely sure why. In the morning, she looks to be training great and forwardly, so this has been a bit puzzling to be frank. She shows moments of brilliance, but has not been as consistent this year as last year.”
NBS Stable and Elements Racing’s Danse Macabre [post 4, Joel Rosario] looks to rebound from an eighth in the 6 1/2-furlong Grade 2 Ladies Turf Sprint on August 30 at Kentucky Downs. The 5-year-old Army Mule chestnut entered that event from a six-furlong optional claiming win by a head on July 19 at Woodbine Racetrack.
“She has been running well, I draw a line through her last race,” Clement said. “She would not be the first horse to run a bit of a puzzling performance at Kentucky Downs then come back to run her usual race. She will be reunited with Joel Rosario and I expect her to have a good turn of foot at the end.”
Danse Macabre, with Hall of Famer Joel Rosario up, was third to Future Is Now in the Grade 3 Giant’s Causeway in April at Keeneland ahead of a 2 1/2-length sixth to Pipsy in the Grade 2 Intercontinental in June at Saratoga.
“Those were two good races, she ran well at Keeneland in her first start of the year, then was a bit unlucky at Saratoga,” Clement said. “She didn’t finish that far away at Saratoga and didn’t have much pace to run at. I think as long as there is some pace to run at, she should give a good account of herself.”
Danse Macabre, the winner of the 2023 Grade 3 Herecomesthebride at Gulfstream Park, was second in that year’s Autumn Days for trainer Kelsey Danner. The consistent mare boasts a 16-6-5-2 record with over $1 million in earnings.
