Dream It Is coming for Schuylerville
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » The talented Dream It Is ships down from Woodbine Race Track in Toronto for the Schuylerville Stakes on opening day at Saratoga Race Course.
The Grade 3 Schuylerville, worth $150,000, is for 2-year-old fillies at 6 furlongs and will be run for the 99th time.
Dream It Is, a daughter of Preakness Stakes winner Shackleford, is owned by Hoolie Racing Stable and trained by Barbara J. Minshall. Luis Contreras is the jockey. “She came with our first group of babies to Woodbine,” said Minshall from her Woodbine headquarters. “She looked an early type and she has always done everything right. She is a good-minded filly with a sweet and good nature.”
Dream It Is broke her maiden at first asking on May 27, winning by a length and a quarter at 4 ½ furlongs after being prominent all the way.
In her next, the $100,000 My Dear Stakes at 5 furlongs, she won an early pace battle and drew off to win by nearly five lengths.
The Woodbine main track is synthetic, so Dream It Is makes her first start on dirt in the Schuylerville.
“I don’t think the dirt will make a difference, because almost all of her works up here are on the (dirt) training track,” commented Minshall. “I’ve worked her behind some older horses to get some dirt in her face and she has handled it. I know the waters get deeper here, but if she continues to break well, as she has, I think she will be all right.”
One of the top trainers at Woodbine, Minshall won her nation’s Sovereign Award in 1996.
She was the first female trainer to win a race in the Canadian Triple Crown series, capturing the Prince of Wales in 1995 and 1996, respectively, with Kiridashi and Stephanotis.
Minshall also trained multiple graded stakes winner Mt. Sassafras.
All nine entrants in the Schuylerville are winners, with Dream It Is and Best Performance racing without the medication Lasix.
Best Performance comes out of a second in the Astoria Stakes at Belmont Park on June 8.
The other stakes winner in the field is Buy Sell Hold, also unbeaten in two starts and holding a victory over males in the Kentucky Juvenile at Churchill Downs on May 4.
Mel’s Gone Wild was a sharp debut winner at Parx on June 17, winning by 4 ½ lengths over Miz Mayhem, who won her next start.
Stainless also dominated a next out winner in her debut at Gulfstream Park on May 29, winning easily over Go Astray.
Yet another impressive debut winner in here is Snowfire, who drew off by four lengths at Churchill Downs on June 29 at this distance.
Completing the Schuylerville field are Limited View, Pacific Gale, and Laudation.
THE LAKE GEORGE
Eleven sophomore fillies are entered in today’s Lake George Stakes on turf.
The Grade 3 event at 1 1/16 miles is worth $150,000.
Trainer Chad Brown’s powerful stable is represented by Fifty Five, winner of the Florida Oaks earlier this year and a troubled second in her most recent outing, the Wonder Again on June 8 at Belmont.
Party Boat won the Memories of Silver at this distance on April 23 at Aqueduct, in which Fifty Five was third.
The first two finishers in the Regret Stakes at Churchill Downs on June 17 are in the Lake George.
Sweeping Paddy won the Regret over Proctor’s Ledge, who goes on Lasix for the first time in the Lake George.
Dream Dancing fits this group, having captured the Here comes the bride Stake sat Gulf stream Park on March 4, in which Party Boat was third.
Victory to Victory, an allowance winner this year, is seeking to regain her form of last year when she won the Grade 1 Natalma Stakes at Woodbine.
Completing the Lake George field are Fizzy Friday, Defiant Honor, Chubby Star, and Super Marina.
Corporate Queen is entered for the main track only.