Dream Pauline Skims Rail to Hurricane Bertie Win
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Photo: Joe DiOrio
Dream Pauline wins the Hurricane Bertie Stakes at Gulfstream Park
As the field entered the final turn of the $150,000 Fasig-Tipton Hurricane Bertie Stakes (G3) Jan. 26 at Gulfstream Park, jockey Javier Castellano and Stonestreet Stables' homebred Dream Pauline skimmed the rail like a runaway train.
But the Hall of Fame jockey was always in control.
Angling the 4-year-old filly even further inward with the finish line in sight, Castellano asked his mount for all she had in deep stretch and she responded in kind, leaving her competition in the mud.
"The horse may be named Dream Pauline, but I had a dream trip today," Castellano said.
As confident as Castellano may have been as his filly made her final push the wire, it was Blamed who went for the early lead in the seven-furlong sprint. Away well from the gate, the daughter of Blame maintained a slim lead along the backstretch and was pressed early by Stormy Embrace.
Up for third to track the pace, last-out Sugar Swirl Stakes (G3) winner Dream Pauline dropped back between Victory Rally and Pacific Gale to fourth as Blamed set fractions of :22.58, and :45.18 through a half-mile. Still ahead by a neck with three furlongs to run, Blamed dug in at the three-sixteenths pole but failed to keep the momentum going and began to drift back.
As the finish loomed, all eyes were on favorite and recent Eclipse Award-winning female sprinter Shamrock Rose, who rated near the back of the eight-horse field of older fillies and mares for most of the race. Prompted by Irad Ortiz Jr. to make a three-wide move on the turn, the champion filly moved forward and gained some ground. But the wire came too fast for Shamrock Rose, and Dream Pauline proved too good to conquer. The daughter of Tapit crossed the wire 3 1/2 lengths clear in a final time of 1:21.45.
"I liked the way my horse performed," Castellano said. "She broke well and got a good spot on the rail early. I knew there was a lot of speed in the race, so I kept track of the speed duel. I was lucky and fortunate to get through the rail and cut the corner and save some ground. I think the track is in good condition today, and we are in good shape."
Pacific Gale took second, followed by Stormy Embrace in third. Shamrock Rose got up for fourth, 5 3/4 lengths behind the winner. Blamed, Ms Meshak, Awestruck, and Victory Rally completed the order of finish.
"She tried to come running," trainer Mark Casse said of Shamrock Rose. "But she wants to go farther. So we'll look for a race and run her back two turns. But I'm not disappointed in her."
"She's a special filly," said trainer Kiaran McLaughlin of Dream Pauline. "We've always been high on her. She's been a little unlucky, like not getting in the (grade 2) Raven Run, like having a temperature before the (grade 2) Prioress. But she's a nice filly, and Javier rode a great race today. Obviously, she's won twice here on the wet, so she likes the wet."
"This was a grade 1, but they didn't give us credit for a grade 1," McLaughlin continued, citing the strength of the field. The conditioner said a likely next target for his filly would be the April 6 Madison Stakes (G1) at Keeneland.
Bred in Kentucky out of the grade 1-winning Wild Rush mare Dream Rush, Dream Pauline has won four of her five career starts, her only misstep coming when she finished third in the Nov. 4 Dream Supreme Stakes at Churchill Downs. Her earnings stand at $244,173.