Frank Calabrese’s homebred DREAMING OF ANNA (Rahy) was upset last time out in
the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile S. (G3) on Kentucky Derby Day, when she never
made the lead and finished a game runner-up. The champion wasted no time,
however, in getting back on track in Saturday’s $169,950
Mint
Julep H. (G3), despite spotting her opponents as much as nine pounds as the
123-pound highweight. Able to exert her customary dominance on the front end,
the 1-2 favorite was allowed to get away with steady fractions of :24 1/5, :48
1/5 and 1:12 4/5, kicked clear at the head of the lane, and stamped her
authority by 2 1/2 lengths at the line. Dreaming of Anna toured 1 1/16 miles in
1:42 3/5 on the firm Churchill turf with Garrett Gomez in the saddle, paying $3,
$2.20 and $2.10.
Ballymore Lady (War Chant), who was far back early, rolled home late to grab
second. The 9-1 shot returned $5.20 and $4 while ending the $14.60 exacta. It
was another 1 1/2 lengths back to Kiss with a Twist (Lemon Drop Kid), who gave
back $5.20 and concluded the $108.80 trifecta (3-7-8) as a 26-1 longshot. Next
came Sprung (Grand Slam), Street Sounds (Street Cry [Ire]), Mama I’m Home
(Wheaton), Danzon (Royal Academy) and Ciao (Lear Fan). Sousaphone (Stravinsky),
Rustic Flame (Ire) (Danehill Dancer) and Tears I Cry (Chester House) were
scratched.
The Wayne Catalano-trained Dreaming of Anna has now bankrolled $1,988,175
from her 15-10-3-1 line, which reflects nine career stakes victories. Unbeaten
from four starts at two in 2006, Dreaming of Anna garnered the Eclipse Award in
near unanimous fashion. After scorching 5 1/2 grassy furlongs in 1:01 3/5 in the
Tippett S., the chestnut thrashed males in the Summer S. (Can-G3) at Woodbine
and wired the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) by 1 1/2 lengths. Her
sophomore campaign in 2007 got off to a less than stellar start. She finished a
distant third in the Old Hat S. (G3), second in the Gaily Gaily S. and sixth in
the Kentucky Oaks (G1). Dreaming of Anna turned things around with a clear score
in the Double Delta S. on the turf at Arlington Park, then added the Virginia
Oaks and Pucker Up S. (G3) to her resume. She wrapped up her season with a game
runner-up effort in the Queen Elizabeth II Invitational Challenge Cup S. (G1),
then opened her 2008 campaign with victories in the Endeavour S.
(G3) and Hillsborough S. (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs.
Out of the multiple stakes-winning Broad Brush mare Justenuffheart, the
Kentucky-bred is a full sister to Lewis Michael, who captured the Washington
Park H. (G2) last summer. She has a quartet of younger half-siblings — an
unraced three-year-old colt named Justenuffhumor (Distorted Humor), an unnamed
juvenile filly by Unbridled’s Song, an unnamed yearling filly by Giant’s
Causeway and a 2008 colt by Storm Cat. Justenuffheart is herself a half-sister
to 2004 champion turf horse Kitten’s Joy (El Prado [Ire]) and multiple Grade
1-winning millionaire Precious Kitten (Catienus).
In keeping with his original plans, Catalano reiterated that the August 9
Beverly D. S. (G1) at Arlington Park is on Dreaming of Anna’s agenda.