Dancinginherdreams Has Ward Thinking Big

Nov 01, 2010 Gary Yunt

DANCINGINHERDREAMS HAS WARD THINKING BIG – John Oxley’s Dancinginherdreams shone brightest of all on Sunday’s “Stars of Tomorrow I” card in winning the $150,000-added Pocahontas (Grade II) by 5 ¼ lengths to extend her undefeated streak to two.

“She is good this morning,” trainer John Ward said early Monday. “I was excited to see some daylight yesterday for her to get through. It was a little suspect at the quarter pole.”

Under Julien Leparoux, Dancinginherdreams had to wait for room entering the stretch before splitting horses and diving to the rail where she easily pulled away in the one-turn mile race.

Ward said the 2-year-old daughter of Tapit was done racing for the year and would not come back in the Golden Rod (GII) at 1 1/16 miles on Nov. 27.

“I didn’t want to go two turns (in the Golden Rod) and then shorten up when we got to Gulfstream,” Ward said. “Her next race will be at the end of January going seven-eighths (in the $200,000, Grade II Forward Gal on Jan. 29).”

ASTROLOGY’S IROQUOIS WIN TOPS BIG DAY FOR ASMUSSEN – Stonestreet Stables and George Bolton’s Astrology, a 2 ¾-length winner of Sunday’s Iroquois (GIII), could be headed for the $150,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) on Nov. 27 at 1 1/16 miles.

'I will discuss it with Mr. (Jess) Jackson (of Stonestreet), but it is a strong possibility,” trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday morning.

Asmussen saddled Private Vow to win the Kentucky Jockey Club in 2005 and last year’s race was won by Super Saver, who became the first horse to sweep the Kentucky Jockey Club and come back to win the Kentucky Derby the following spring since Cannonade in 1973-74.

Garrett Gomez was aboard for the Iroquois victory, the colt’s second in four starts.

“He ran a lot better than he did the last time,” Gomez said, referring to a third-place finish in the Garden State at Monmouth Park on Sept. 25. “I thought he’d win for fun that day. They went a little faster early yesterday and I let him do a little more. He’s got a lot of talent.”

Asmussen, who ranks fifth all time at Churchill Downs with 381 victories, also sent out first-time starter Hailey d’Oro to a 6 ½-length victory in the second race for Stonestreet and Mike McCarty’s City Cool to an 8 ½-length romp in the sixth race.

GYPSY’S WARNING ASSIGNED TOP WEIGHT FOR CARDINAL HANDICAP – Team Valor International and Green Lantern Stables’ Gypsy’s Warning (SAf) has been assigned high weight of 121 pounds for Sunday’s 37th running of the $100,000-added Cardinal Handicap (GIII).

The 1 1/8-mile race on the Matt Winn Turf Course was won last year by Acoma.

Trained by Graham Motion, Gypsy’s Warning ran third in the Yellow Ribbon (GI) at Hollywood Park on Oct. 2 in her most recent start.

The next two high weights assigned by racing secretary Ben Huffman, Keertana (120) and Forever Together (119), are pre-entered in the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (GI) to be run Friday. The next high weight, Fantasia (GB) at 118 pounds, won the River Memories Stakes on Saturday at Woodbine.

Entries will be taken Thursday for the Cardinal and expected to be in the entry box are the next high weights, Eileen Hartis’ Princess Haya (117) and Carl Pollard’s Kiss Mine (116).

BARN TALK – Trainer Al Stall Jr. had a lot on his plate Monday morning with final Breeders’ Cup works for Blame (Classic) and J. B.’s Thunder (Juvenile). But he also had time to look back to Sunday and the performance of a 2-year-old filly named Aide. Adele Dilschneider’s homebred daughter of Arch demolished a first-level allowance field by 19 ¾ lengths under Garrett Gomez.

“The dirt was the only concern, but (jockey) Greta (Kuntzweiler) said it was no problem the first time she ran at Ellis,” Stall said of the filly who has been stabled at Keeneland and trained on Polytrack.

At Keeneland, Aide has served as the workmate to the 3-year-old Apart, winner of the Grade II Super Derby and who figures to be a top contender in Friday’s Ack Ack Handicap (GIII), and J. B.’s Thunder.

“She worked once with Apart and did well with him,” Stall said. “And when J. B.’s Thunder blew out a half-mile (on Oct. 22), she was on the inside of him and held her own.”

Sunday’s victory at 1 1/16 miles would seem a logical springboard to the Nov. 27 Golden Rod.

“If that white filly of John Ward’s goes to Florida,” Stall said of Pocahontas winner Dancinginherdreams, “Then we will strongly consider it.” …

Robby Albarado opened the fall meet in style Sunday by riding three winners to bring his career total beneath the Twin Spires to 890. Albarado ranks fifth all time at the track behind Pat Day (2,482), Calvin Borel (1,025), Don Brumfield (925) and Larry Melancon (914).  Other multiple winners on the 11-race card were Garrett Gomez and Shaun Bridgmohan with two victories each. …

A total of 16 3-year-olds were nominated to Friday’s $85,000 The Jimmy V “Don’t Give Up … Don’t Ever Give Up!”, an overnight stake at six furlongs on the main track. The race will be the third on Friday’s 10-race card that features six Breeders’ Cup races and the 18th running of the $100,000-added Ack Ack Handicap (GIII). Tops among the nominees for the Jimmy V is Noble’s Promise, who ran fifth in this spring’s Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI). Entries will be taken Tuesday. …

The filly companion to the Jimmy V is the Dream Supreme, which will be run on Saturday and attracted 21 nominations. The Dream Supreme will be the second race Saturday and be followed by the 25th running of the $150,000 Chilukki (GII) and then eight Breeders’ Cup races. Chief among the nominees is Beautician, the fourth-place finisher in this year’s Kentucky Oaks (GI) and runner-up in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI).