Purely a Dream sat comfortably outside and off the pace in the $100,000 Grade 3 Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park Saturday before rocketing past the leaders at the top of the turn and going on to win the mile test for 3-year-old fillies by two lengths. Final time was 1:37.40.
Purely a Dream (No. 10) won the Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park Saturday with jockey Robby Albarado aboard. The victory earned the filly valuable points that should ensure Kentucky Oaks eligibility, but the connections would not commit to running her in that race (photos by Mark Hansel).
The win gives Purely a Dream her first stakes trophy and 50 points toward a place in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) gate.
Her stablemate Awesome Boss closed from last to be second and earn 20 points toward the Kentucky Oaks, giving trainer Kenny McPeek the Bourbonette exacta. Another half-length back was Darkwingsoverdubai, who earned 10 points. Gilded Lily was fourth, good for five points.
“She was a little hot in the post parade, which was a concern—she had been off a while,” said winning jockey Robby Albarado. “She galloped along the first turn, squeezed into contention and then made the lead. I just kept on going at that point. She held off some nice fillies. It’s funny how she was foaled on this day, the 25th (of March 2014).”
Off at 12-1, Purely a Dream paid $27.60, $16.20 and $11.
The 9-5 post time favorite, Delphinia, set the :23.47 and :46.47 pace before fading to finish next to last. “She got a lot of pressure from the horse on the outside (I’mluckysgirl), and they went too fast early,” said Jason Barkley, assistant to trainer Wesley Ward. “It was just a little too fast for her first time around two turns.”
China Grove was fifth, followed by On Her Honor, I’mluckysgirl, Fun, Miss O’Hara, Northwest Bourbon, Delphinia and Jenna J.
Purely a Dream is owned by Living the Dream Racing 2015 LLC. Bred in Kentucky by James Bredin, she is by Pure Prize out of the Bachelor Duke mare Yorksters Girl (IRE). Her record stands now at 2-1-0 in four starts for purse earnings of $105,952.
MONTU UPSETS RUSHAWAY STAKES
Montu was all heart in the stretch of the $100,000 Rushaway Stakes, repelling a closing charge by 70-1 Capture the Glory in the final sixteenth to notch his first stakes win by 1 1/4 lengths. Gorgeous Kitten was a nose farther back in third.
Montu and jockey Rodney Prescott took the Rushaway Stakes on the Spiral undercard at 17-1 odds.
With jockey Rodney Prescott aboard, Montu set all the pace in the 1 1/16-mile Rushaway, a black type race for 3 year olds. Pressure from Cool Arrow influenced the early pace of :23.55 and :47.53 before he dropped back, but by then Capture the Glory had made a bold move from last and was second entering the stretch. He drew even with Montu in the final sixteenth but could not get past, and Prescott urged Montu home in 1:44.85.
“When we hit the three-eighths pole I was pretty confident,” said Prescott. “He got an easy lead and he relaxed, once he got the easy lead. He kind of worried me turning for home. I had to ask him and was waiting a little bit. He didn’t really kick until that horse [Capture the Glory] came up to him.”
Hansenation was fourth, followed by Willamazing, the 3-2 favorite Sailing Home, Cool Arrow and Hey Mike.
Off at 17-1, Montu paid $36.20 $15.40 and $9.40.
Montu is owned by Joseph Deegan, who also trains, Alfred Pais and Zephyr Racing LLC. He now has three wins in five starts and earnings of $79,530. Montu was bred in Kentucky by Ladyswell Bloodstock LLC and is by Dialed In out of the Deputy Commander mare Casa Pippo.
Turfway Park
