Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC's homebred 4-year-old filly Wicked Halo concluded her career in style with a come-from-behind, two-length triumph over Little Prankster in Saturday's 18th running of the $300,000 Dream Supreme (Listed) at Churchill Downs.
The victory was her eighth against stakes company in three seasons of racing, and third this year.
Ridden by Tyler Gaffalione for trainer Steve Asmussen, Wicked Halo had a perfect trip in the six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares. Relaxing in last of six down the backstretch as Your So Sillea ran the first quarter mile in :21.61, she advanced into fourth around the turn and needed a seam to get through at the top of the stretch after a half-mile in :44.75. The opening appeared and Wicked Halo shot through with ease between Your So Sillea and a fading Fire On Time. Wicked Halo took command at the three-sixteenths pole and easily turned back Little Prankster to stop the teletimer in 1:09.97.
“She's an incredibly nice filly,” Gaffalione said. “She was able to relax a little bit early and turning for home really responded nicely when I asked her.”
The win was worth $183,450 and improved Wicked Halo's career earnings to $1,579,400 with a record of 9-3-5 from 18 starts.
“We're so proud of her career and for her to go out like the winner we know she is,” Asmussen said. “This was her swan song and she'll head off to the broodmare band. She's been incredible for us on the racetrack and we're extremely proud of what she's accomplished.”
At age 2, Wicked Halo won the $200,000 Adirondack (G2). Her 3-year-old season included wins in the $158,700 Leslie's Lady Overnight Stakes and $188,500 Tepin at Churchill Downs; $250,000 Prioress (G2) and $334,500 Raven Run (G2). Earlier this year, Wicked Halo won the $250,000 Matron at Oaklawn Park and $125,000 Twin Bridges at Ellis Park.
Prior to the Dream Supreme, Wicked Halo finished a nose back of eventual Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) runner-up Yuugiri in the $350,000 Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) at Keeneland on Oct. 7.
Wicked Halo, the odds-on 4-5 favorite, returned $3.66 for the win.
Little Prankster, the 8-5 second choice, held on for second, 2 1/4 lengths to the good of third-place finisher Last Leaf. Your So Sillea, Fire On Time, and Royal County completed the order of finish.
Wicked Halo is a 4-year-old daughter of Gun Runner out of the Tapit mare Just Wicked and was bred in Kentucky.
Asmussen won the Dream Supreme for a record-extending fifth time. His other wins came with Savorthetime (2004), Speedinthruthecity (2014), Vertical Oak (2018) and Mia Mischief (2019). Winchell Thoroughbreds also campaigned Speedinthruthecity.
The Dream Supreme is named after the six-time graded stakes winner who won the Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs in 2001. Trained by Bill Mott, Dream Supreme won two Grade I sprints in her 16-race career and earned $1,007,680 between 1999-2001.
The post Wicked Halo Wins Dream Supreme In Racing Swan Song, To Start Broodmare Career appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
Four-year-old filly Dolce Zel (FR), making her first start in more than 11 months, overcame a gate incident just prior to the break and went on to tally by three-quarters of a length Saturday in the $85.100 Kathryn Crosby Stakes, the feature on the Veterans Day card at Del Mar.
Owned by the partnership of Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, Robert LaPenta, and Michael Caruso, Dolce Zel earned the $49,860 lion's share of purse in the overnight stakes, boosting her lifetime earnings to $381,515.
Dolce Zel – starting from post 5 with Flavien Prat – reacted when Gandora in post 6 broke through the gate early and ran off for a sixteenth of a mile. But though she, too, went through the gate early, Prat was able to snuggle her down and not let her go far.
Both fillies were reloaded and broke cleanly. While Dolce Zel went on to win, Gandora showed speed but backed up to finish sixth.
Running second in the mile turf test was Yerwanthere (IRE), who bested Nadette (FR) by a neck.
Dolce Zel, the 5-2 favorite, returned $7 to win after covering the grassy mile in 1:35.95.
The bay filly is by Zelzal out of the Dr Fong mare Dolce Attesa. She was bred by Scuderia Micolo Di Nicola Galli and C. SNC.
KATHRYN CROSBY QUOTES
JOCKEY FLAVIEN PRAT (Dolce Zel, winner) – “The horse next to me when through the gate early and my horse thought it was time to go. But we got back settled and everything went OK after that. When I squeezed her, she accelerated nicely.”
TRAINER PHIL D'AMATO (Dolce Zel, winner) – “That's the first time I've had a horse break through the gate and win. I give credit to Flavien (Prat) for catching her really quickly out of there. The six (horse) popped prematurely and caused our horse (to jump) but Flavien did a masterful job of saving her and giving her a beautiful ride after that. This is her first race in almost a year. She got the right spot here, and hopefully we can keep improving.”
FRACTIONS: :23.65 :48.31 1:12.82 1:24.65 1:35.95
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