Coglianese /NYRA Photo

'Dream' victory for connections in G3 Schuylerville

by NYRA Press Office

Hoolie Racing Stable's Dream It Is, racing for the first time on dirt and away from her Canadian home, made the trip worthwhile with a dominant nine-length victory in the Grade 3, $150,000 Schuylerville Friday at Saratoga Race Course.

The 99th running of the six-furlong Schuylerville for 2-year-old fillies was the first of two stakes on the Opening Day program of Saratoga's 40-day summer stand, along with the Grade 3, $150,000 Lake George for turf females, won by Proctor's Ledge.

Based with trainer Barbara Minshall at Woodbine Racetrack in Ontario and ridden by champion Canadian jockey Luis Contreras, Dream It Is completed the distance in 1:11.85 over a fast main track. Sent off at 9-2 in the field of eight, she returned $11 on a $2 win bet.

It was the third win from as many starts and second straight in a stakes for Dream It Is, a bay daughter of Preakness winner Shackleford whose two previous victories came in front-running fashion over Woodbine's all-weather surface, including the five-furlong My Dear last out June 24.

"It's amazing, what can I say? To win a race and to win it like that," Minshall said. "We came with a horse that we thought was a good filly and had a shot, but I can't say I expected her to run as good as she did."

Buy Sell Hold also entered the race unbeaten in two starts and with a stakes victory under her belt, and took the field through an opening quarter-mile in 21.99 seconds tracked by Mel's Gone Wild to her inside. Contreras kept Dream It Is in the clear three wide and ranged up to take the lead after a half in 46.22.

After turning for home together, Dream It Is got her cue from Contreras and quickly separated from Buy Sell Hold, opening up with every stride down the stretch to keep her perfect record intact. Best Performance rallied late for second, four lengths ahead of Stainless in third.

"This is why we brought Luis here. He's very confident and he's a very good rider. We wouldn't have done it any other way," Minshall said. "He gave her a great ride. We knew her ability coming in but she really showed another gear today."

Snowfire, sent off as the 2-1 favorite, finished fourth followed by Buy Sell Hold, Pacific Gale, Laudation and Mel's Gone Wild. Limited View was scratched.

Minshall said Dream It Is could return to Saratoga for the Grade 1, $350,000 Spinaway on September 2.

"We're going to talk after this and see where we should go next. Obviously, she deserves a little break right now. She's just a baby," she said. "It's ultimately the owner's decision of where we'll go next. I can't say the Spinaway for certain, but it's definitely a maybe."