LAUREL, Md.—Full of Fun Racing and Madaket Stables’ multiple Grade 3-placed Dreamalildreamofu, exiting a trouble-filled last month, chases her second career stakes win in her return to Maryland for Saturday’s $100,000 Twixt.
Trained by reigning Eclipse Award winner Brad Cox, the 4-year-old daughter of Commissioner was beaten 1 ½ lengths when second in the 1 1/8-mile Allaire du Pont (G3) May 14 at historic Pimlico Race Course after racing on or near the pace.
“She ran big there,” Cox said. “[It’s] a one-turn mile this time. She normally has enough speed to put herself in the race and, hopefully, with a good trip she’ll be effective.”
Third by a length in the seven-furlong Chicago (G3) over Arlington Park’s all-weather surface June 26, Dreamalildreamofu had a nightmare trip in her most recent start when she drew down inside and bumped the rail while in tight quarters and wound up 11th as the favorite in the one-mile Groupie Doll Aug. 15 at Ellis Park.
“She pretty much was eliminated the first eighth of a mile. She’s rebounded with two good works since so we’ll see how it goes, but she’s doing well. She really is,” Cox said. “She’s versatile. She doesn’t have to have things a certain way or have a certain surface.
“It makes finding races for her a touch easier than most horses,” he added. “And, like I said, her last race was somewhat of a throwout, just a real tough trip from down inside. She seemed to re bound from it in good shape.”
Jevian Toledo rides from Post 7 in a field of nine.
A multiple stakes winner against fellow New York-breds, Ruggeri Stable, Richard Coburn, Script R Farm and trainer Michael Miceli’s Mrs. Orb conquered open company with a come-from-behind victory in the 1 1/16-mile Caesar’s Wish July 4 at Pimlico. Horacio Karamanos, aboard in that race, returns from Post 6.
“She kind of dropped a little farther back than I thought she would in that race, but she came running,” Miceli said. “She’s doing well. We’ve been looking for a spot and this seems like it could be a logical move.”
Second in the Turnback the Alarm (G3) last November at Aqueduct, Mrs. Orb was third in her most recent effort, the Aug. 12 Saratoga Dew at Saratoga, following a wide trip and has worked twice since at Belmont Park.
“She ran well. She had a little bit of traffic problems in the race, but she ran a good race. In trying to find a spot for her, Laurel’s race looks like it could be OK,” Miceli said. “She’s doing well right now, so hopefully she’ll run a good race for us.”
Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, riding at Laurel for the first time since 2007 according to Equibase statistics, has the call on Stetson Racing, Donato Lanni and Rita Riccelli’s So Darn Not, a 4-year-old daughter of Hall of Famer Ghostzapper trained by George Weaver. Last of 10 following a rough trip in last year’s Black-Eyed Susan (G2) at Pimlico, So Darn Hot was third last out in the 1 1/8-mile Summer Colony Aug. 22 at Saratoga.
Trainer Mike Trombetta entered the pair of R. Larry Johnson and R.D.M. Racing Stable’s Lookin Dynamic, second to stablemate Kiss the Girl in the seven-furlong Conniver March 13 at Laurel, and NK Racing and LNJ Foxwoods’ Villanelle, fifth to Dreamalildreamofu in the one-mile Latonia March 27 at Turfway Park.
Multiple stakes winners Artful Splatter and Miss Leslie; Josie, winner of the July 3 Iowa Distaff for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen; and Off Topic, third in the 2019 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) for previous trainer Todd Pletcher and unraced in nearly a year, round out the field.
David Joseph/Maryland Jockey Club
Photo: Dreamalildreamofu wins the Latonia Stakes at Turfway Park on March 27, 2021. (Coady Photography)
