Chess's Dream Takes Rail Trip to Kitten's Joy Victory
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Lauren King
Chess's Dream wins the Kitten's Joy Stakes at Gulfstream Park
Chess's Dream followed in the footsteps of his half brother, Casa Creed, capturing his first stakes race in the $100,000 Kitten's Joy Stakes (G3T) Jan. 30 at Gulfstream Park.
Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed ), who won the same race two years earlier, went on to take the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes (G2T) at Saratoga Race Course later that season.
Chess's Dream was sent off at 8-1 from the rail in the one-mile Kitten's Joy after breaking his maiden in his fourth start for trainer Mike Maker. Racing 7 1/2 furlongs on the same course Dec. 13, the now 3-year-old Jess's Dream colt rallied to win by five lengths. Jockey Tyler Gaffalione was aboard Saturday and rated Chess's Dream in fourth through a :23.30 opening quarter-mile. The pair was up to third when the half went in :47.54.
Original, ridden by John Velazquez, was quick to take the lead and continued to lead through six furlongs in 1:11.90 and into the stretch. Kentucky Pharoah stalked in second. Gaffalione spotted an opening along the rail and slipped through the hole with Chess's Dream to join the leaders. Chess's Dream then kicked away for a two-length victory, becoming the first black-type winner for his sire. The final time on the firm turf was 1:35.18.
"I knew there was going to be a lot of speed. It kind of surprised me when Johnny committed early, but I had the perfect position down on the fence," Gaffalione said. "I was able to save ground. On the far turn, it looked like Johnny's horse was trying to get out a little bit on him. I didn't panic and a hole opened up and when I asked him he really accelerated. He's a long-striding colt. He'll just get better the longer he goes."
The 1-5 favorite Never Surprised came from fourth to finish second, nosing out Original in third. Sigiloso, Kentucky Pharoah, and It's a Gamble completed the order of finish.
Chess's Dream ($18.60) has earned $108,980 from a 2-2-0 record in five starts. He is campaigned by Michael Dubb, Steven Bouchey, Bethlehem Stables, and Chester Bishop, with the former three joining Bishop as owners after the colt's first race. The dark bay had been cross-entered in the Jan. 31 Texas Turf Mile Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park, but connections kept him in South Florida.
"It's very nice when you make the right decision," said Dubb, who was on hand at Gulfstream. "It's definitely a 50-50 proposition. I held my breath and made sure he'd be able to get through. He got through and he was much the best, so we're just over the moon."
Chess's Dream went through the sales ring twice as a yearling, first with the Summerfield consignment at the 2019 Ocala Breeders' Sales Winter Mixed Sale, where Reitman Stables purchased him for $20,000. Sean S. Perl Bloodstock then bought him for $25,000 from Woodford Thoroughbreds' consignment at The July Sale, Fasig-Tipton's selected yearlings sale in Lexington.
The colt was bred in Florida by Loren Nichols out of the Bellamy Road mare Achalaya, dam of three winners from as many to race, two of which are now black-type winners. Following Chess's Dream, Achalaya produced a Distorted Humor colt in 2020 before being reported bred to Omaha Beach .
Video: Kitten's Joy S. (G3T)
White Frost Rallies to Win Sweetest Chant
Gainesway Stable's homebred White Frost stepped up to graded company and ran down favored Con Lima to win the $100,000 Sweetest Chant Stakes (G3T) Saturday at Gulfstream.
The 3-year-old Candy Ride filly was fourth and second, respectively, in her first two starts on dirt last year. When trainer Bill Mott switched her to turf Nov. 21 at Aqueduct Racetrack third time out, she came from off the pace racing 1 1/16 miles to win by 1 1/4 lengths.
White Frost was the 9-2 third choice in the one-mile Sweetest Chant off that maiden victory. She broke from post 5 under Junior Alvarado and saved ground early in sixth. One post to her inside was 6-5 favorite Con Lima, who got up between horses to take the lead under Paco Lopez. Con Lima cruised through fractions of :24.16, :48.26, and 1:11.66 for six furlongs.
Two lengths off the lead at that point, White Frost was guided between rivals as she readied for a strong run down the stretch. She charged down the firm turf three wide, drew even with Con Lima, then edged past her rival to win by a length. The final time was 1:34.45.
White Frost wins the Sweetest Chant Stakes at Gulfstream Park
"She broke very sharp. Going into the first turn, things got a little tight, but I had enough filly to hold my spot," Alvarado said. "I was a passenger the whole way around. I just had to show her where to go and find the room turning for home. After I put her in the clear, she has such a nice turn of foot. It made my job very easy."
Con Lima held off third-placed Domain Expertise by a length for second. Candace O, Honey Pants, Queen of the Green, Director's Cut, and Lionessofbrittany rounded out the finish.
"I thought Junior gave her a super ride out of there," said Mott's assistant, Kenny McCarthy. "I know beforehand, the boss mentioned that maybe (Con Lima) had the speed of the race and maybe (Lionessofbrittany) early, so the plan was to tuck in early on, save some ground and call on her turning for home and see if she had an answer. And, boy, she sure did answer."
The winning dark bay filly improved her record to 2-1-0 in four starts and earnings to $123,920.
White Frost ($11) was bred in Kentucky and is the second foal out of the multiple stakes-winning Curlin mare Miss Frost, whose first foal is multiple stakes-placed Torres Del Paine (Karakontie ). Miss Frost is also dam of a 2-year-old Union Rags colt, a yearling Empire Maker colt, and was reported bred to Frosted for 2021.