John C. Oxley homebred Beautiful Memories (f, 2, Hard Spun–Sky Dreamer, by Sky Mesa) was hammered down to 2-5 in her Churchill Downs unveiling Thursday, and ran to the money with a 'TDN Rising Star' performance.
She was working bullets at the Casse Training Center, including a four-furlong warning shot from the gate in :46 3/5 (1/16) May 2, and wasn't much of a secret here.
Hustled to the front from her inside draw, she was on the engine through an opening quarter in :22.00. The chestnut began to separate herself from her 10 overmatched rivals approaching the quarter pole and poured it on in the stretch while being hand-ridden by Jose Ortiz en route to a facile 10-length victory. Yogurt (Algorithms) was second.
Beautiful Memories' third dam is champion older mare Beautiful Pleasure, who carried Oxley's gold-and-blue colors to six top-level victories, led by a memorable win in the 1999 GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Gulfstream Park.
Two-time winner and GIII Arlington Oaks runner-up Sky Dreamer is also responsible for Kimbear (Temple City), a MGSW in Dubai and runner-up in the GIII Lazaro Barrera S. at Santa Anita; and the lightly raced 4-year-old 'Rising Star' Super Comet (Super Saver), sidelined since a fourth-place finish in last summer's GII Amsterdam S. at Saratoga. Sky Dreamer had a foal colt by Violence earlier this year.
2nd-Churchill Downs, $79,439, Msw, 5-28, 2yo, f, 5f, :58.05, ft.
BEAUTIFUL MEMORIES, f, 2, byHard Spun
1st Dam: Sky Dreamer (GSP-USA & MSP-Can, $176,065), by Sky Mesa
2nd Dam: To Dream About, by Monarchos
3rd Dam: Beautiful Pleasure, by Maudlin
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $45,400. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O/B-John C. Oxley (KY); T-Mark E. Casse. *1/2 to Kimbear (Temple City), MGSW-UAE, GSP-USA, $777,199.
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