One Fine Dream is Iowa Derby Heavyweight

One Fine Dream will be one tough horse to catch in the $103,000 Iowa Breeders’ Derby, one of the marquee stakes for Iowa-breds Aug. 13 at Prairie Meadows Casino & Racetrack.

The 3-year-old gelded son of Woke Up Dreamin—One Fine Shweetie, by Shuailaan, has won his past three races, taking his most recent start in the July 16 Iowa Stallion Stakes by 11 lengths. There is more to back up his 3-5 morning-line odds, such as his record of five wins from six starts at Prairie Meadows, being the only horse in the field to produce Equibase Speed Figures in the 90s (he ran a 96 when winning the Cyclone Handicap in June and had a 93 in the Iowa Stallion Stakes), and he is one of two horses in the field to win going the Iowa Derby distance of 1 1/16 miles. He will be ridden by Shane Laviolette, who is winning at an 18% rate and has been aboard for One Fine Dream’s past two races.

One Fine Dream is owned by Leroy Gessman’s Umbrella Stable, which acquired him for $45,000 as a yearling through the Iowa Thoroughbred Breeders’ Fall Mixed sale. He was sold by Madison County Thoroughbreds, which stands grade II winner Woke Up Dreamin, on behalf of the gelding’s breeders Gary Lucas and Linda Woods. Lucas also bred stakes winner One Fine Shweetie and raced her with Woods. The mare was trained by brothers Kelly and Donnie Von Hemel. One Fine Dream is the third stakes winner produced by One Fine Shweetie, whose progeny include grade III winner Awesomemundo (by Awesome Again) and stakes winner Champagne Attitude (Aptitude).

Dream Farm’s homebred Scrutinizer could provide some competition. Though the gelding by Abraham Equine Clinic's Native Ruler has finished second to One Fine Dream twice, he comes into the Iowa Derby off a three-length win in the Iowa Registered and Foaled Three-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Route Handicap. Scrutinizer has finished off the board only once in five starts. He and One Fine Dreamer will both be toting 122 pounds.

In the $103,000 Iowa Breeders’ Oaks, a one mile and 70-yard test for 3-year-old fillies, a rubber match is set between even money morning-line favorite Mywomanfromtokyo and It's the Swede.

Mywomanfromtokyo, a homebred daughter of Neko Bay racing for owner/breeder Scott Pope’s Crimson King Farm, got the best of It’s the Swede the last time they met. She won by 1 1/2 lengths in the Iowa Registered and Foaled Three-Year-Old Filly Route Handicap. Pope races the filly in partnership with Christine Rhiner and has her in training with Kelly Von Hemel. She will be ridden by her regular rider Glenn Corbett.

Bred by William Hobbs and raced and trained by Karl Broberg, It’s the Swede got the upper hand when she faced Mywomanfromtokyo for the first time this year in the six-furlong June 3 Bob Bryant Stakes. The daughter of Yes It's True comes into the Iowa Oaks off a five-length romp in a $25,000 allowance race Aug. 6. She will be ridden by Sasha Risenhoover, who has been aboard for all six starts this year and is winning at a 25% rate.

Mywomanfromtokyo will be carrying 122 pounds, giving two pounds to her rival. 

Also on the card are two $90,000, six-furlong stakes for 2-year-olds: the Iowa Cradle Stakes for colts and geldings, and the Iowa Sorority Stakes for fillies.