Dream Lith Rallies for Upset in Golden Rod
Image:
Description:
Photo: Coady Photography
Dream Lith wins the Golden Rod Stakes at Churchill Downs
After impressing with a debut victory, Dream Lith went straight to grade 1 competition. She missed the board in her two starts at the top level against some of the top fillies in her class but was back in the winner's circle Nov. 27 after she rallied to victory in the $400,000 Golden Rod Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs.
Cypress Creek Equine and Arnold Bennewith's juvenile Medaglia d'Oro filly earned 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks toward a spot in the 2022 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1).
Dream Lith, now a winner in two of four starts for trainer Robertino Diodoro, made her debut Aug. 8 at Saratoga Race Course, where she won a 6 1/2-furlong maiden race by 2 1/4 lengths at odds of 36-1. She then ran fifth in both the Sept. 5 Spinaway Stakes (G1) at the Spa and the Oct. 8 Darley Alcibiades Stakes (G1) at Keeneland. Those two races were won respectively by Echo Zulu and Juju's Map , the 1-2 finishers of the Nov. 6 NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Del Mar.
WATCH: Dream Lith Another GSW for Cypress Creek, Bennewith
"We've had a good time on this day back-to-back years," said Cypress Creek's Ryder Finney, referring to Keepmeinmind 's victory in the 2020 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2). "We actually didn't expect her to win her first time out, we thought she'd probably need a little more ground, and she shocked us that day, paid a lot of money. She was a little bit disappointing in her next two starts. We gave her a little bit more time off and tried to bring her into this race really fresh and sort of targeted this race rather than going to the Breeders' Cup. She rewarded us big time. That was pretty impressive. We were all very excited."
With Ramon Vazquez in the irons for the first time, Dream Lith, off at 9-1, was settled in sixth in the eight-horse field. She raced in the three path along the first turn as Yuugiri set the pace with fractions of :24.04, :47.95, and 1:12.85. The 4-5 favorite Sandstone pursued the frontrunner in second while Famed , a half sister to Essential Quality and the 5-2 second choice, raced in fourth on the inside.
Vazquez called on Dream Lith in the second turn and the filly launched a four-wide bid. Dream Lith then bid five wide in the stretch as she encroached on Yuugiri's lead, and was still three wide near the eighth pole. She ultimately put Yuugiri away by a length as she completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.72 on a fast track.
"I got her into a comfortable rhythm early in the race and just let her do her thing," Vazquez said. "I knew I had a lot of horse and I was confident she'd be able to fight with (Yuugiri) in the stretch. She's a very nice filly and has a good future in front of her."
Yuugiri was second by 3 1/4 lengths, earning four Oaks points. Sandstone came in third to earn two points, and Famed was fourth throughout to pick up one point.
Secret Oath , Code for Success , Cancel This , and Hal's Dream completed the order of finish.
The winner returned $20.20 for a $2 win ticket.
Finney said the plan is for Dream Lith to get a break before regrouping for future plans.
Dream Lith increased her earnings to $313,455. In 2019 she was a $590,000 RNA at The November Sale, Fasig-Tipton's premier breeding stock sale in Kentucky, where she was offered as a weanling by Bluewater Sales.
Bred in Kentucky by Southern Equine Stables, Dream Lith is the third foal and winner out of the Street Cry mare Elle Sueno , who has since produced a yearling full sister, a weanling Justify filly, and was bred to Laoban for 2022. Dream Lith's second dam is Darley Debutante Stakes(G1) winner Mi Sueno , while her third dam Madcap Escapade , captured the Ashland Stakes (G1).