Dream Tree (Uncle Mo), a narrow winner in her first two career starts sprinting, including the seven-furlong Desi Arnaz S. at Del Mar Nov. 18, stretched to two turns in style with a smart 3 1/4-length victory as the 2-5 favorite in Saturday's GI Starlet S. at Los Al.
Scratched down to a field of four, Dream Tree stalked Yesterday's News (New Year's Day) from second through fractions of :24.67 and :49.25. She cruised up to set her sights on the leader at the top of the stretch and kicked home nicely down the lane to win as much the best.
Hall of Famer Baffert becomes the first trainer to win the CashCall Futurity and the Starlet in the same year. Both races have been run at Los Alamitos since 2014 and were run previously (1981-2013) at Hollywood Park.
“The plan was to sit with her today,” Baffert said. “Her first race [Oct. 27 at Santa Anita] she had blinkers and she was rank and she won from a little off the pace. [Jockey Drayden Van Dyke] has been working her. I wasn't sure about two turns, but after she came back and worked the way she did is why I changed my mind and decided to run her in this spot.”
Van Dyke added, “She ran right through the stretch and I didn't even have to pull out my stick. It was just a hand ride.”
Winning owner Phoenix Thoroughbred and bloodstock agent Kerri Radcliffe have made a huge splash on the sales scene in the U.S. and abroad throughout 2017. Radcliffe signed for seven yearlings, three for seven figures, for a total of $6.35 million at this year's Keeneland September Sale alone. Phoenix also campaigns 'TDN Rising Stars' Diamondsandpearls (Congrats) ($1.7-million OBSMAR) and GIII Bob Hope S. runner-up Mourinho (Super Saver) ($625,000 OBSMAR).
Dream Tree becomes the fifth Grade I winner for leading young sire Uncle Mo. The winner's dam is also represented by an Uncle Mo filly of 2016 and a Lea colt of 2017. She was bred back to Blame.
Saturday, Los Alamitos
STARLET S.-GI, $294,000, LRC, 12-9, 2yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:43.87, ft.
1–DREAM TREE, 120, f, 2, by Uncle Mo&log=">Uncle Mo
1st Dam: Afleet Maggi, by Afleet Alex
2nd Dam: Mindset, by Coronado's Quest
3rd Dam: Attitude, by Capote
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. ($80,000 Wlg
'15 KEENOV; $225,000 Ylg '16 FTKJUL; $750,000 2yo '17
FTFMAR). O-Phoenix Thoroughbred III; B-Mike & Pat Freeny
(KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Drayden Van Dyke. $180,000. Lifetime
Record: 3-3-0-0, $270,000. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”justin-casse-double-dream-tree”][bullet ad=”selectsales-shell”][bullet ad=”selectsales-half-sis-ftkfeb”][bullet ad=”machmer-hall-pinhooked-by-dream-tree”][bullet ad=”kbif-g1″]2–Yesterday's News, 120, f, 2, by New Year's Day
1st Dam: West Coast Gal, by Broken Vow
2nd Dam: North Cork, by Doneraile Court
3rd Dam: Known Romance, by Known Fact
($5,000 Ylg '16 FTKOCT; $30,000 2yo '17 EASMAY). O-Reddam
Racing LLC; B-Gary & Mary West Stables, Inc. (KY); T-Simon
Callaghan. $60,000.[bullet ad=”mcelroy-equine-recommended”][bullet ad=”paramount-congratulations”][bullet ad=”hiddenbrook-purchaseandsouthgrad”]3–Piedi Bianchi, 120, f, 2, by Overanalyze
1st Dam: Adore You, by Tactical Cat
2nd Dam: Autumn Music, by Unbridled's Song
3rd Dam: October Beauty, by Flying Paster
($60,000 Wlg '15 KEENOV; $80,000 Ylg '16 KEESEP; $80,000
2yo '17 OBSMAR). O-Nice Guys Stables, Jack Bick & Jay
Oringer; B-Deann & Greg Baer DVM (IN); T-Doug F. O'Neill.
$36,000.[bullet ad=”bluewater-itsinthewater”][bullet ad=”halcyonhammock-congrats-consigned”][bullet ad=”hunter-valley-sold-by”]Margins: 3 1/4, 5 1/4, NO. Odds: 0.40, 9.80, 2.10.
Also Ran: Exuberance. Scratched: War Heroine.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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