Grade 2 winner Dream Lith suffered a heat stroke following her fifth-place finish as the favorite in the $600,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies April 2, trainer Robertino Diodoro said Friday morning at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark.
[Editor's note: According to Accuweather, the high temperature on April 2 in Hot Springs was 74 degrees Farenheit.]
Diodoro said Dream Lith initially collapsed near the test barn following the 1 1/16-mile Fantasy, which was Oaklawn's final major prep for the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) May 6 at Churchill Downs. The Kentucky Oaks is the country's biggest race for 3-year-old fillies.
Diodoro said Dream Lith sustained cuts after falling on the concrete and emerged with a “knee that looked like a football.”
“Between the test barn and our barn, she got down a couple of more times and got her hock and her knee,” Diodoro said. “All superficial, but it blew up pretty good.”
Diodoro said Dream Lith is recovering from her injuries, adding he'll have to watch her train a few days before targeting another race. A daughter of Medaglia d'Oro, Dream Lith scored her biggest career victory to date in the $400,000 Golden Rod Stakes (G2) Nov. 27 at Churchill Downs to close her 2-year-old campaign.
“She's got some turf in her breeding,” Diodoro said. “Probably see her on turf, When, I'm not sure.”
Diodoro said millionaire multiple Grade 2 winner Lone Rock emerged in good shape from his victory in last Sunday's $150,000 Temperence Hill Stakes for older horses at 1 ½ miles and is pointing for the $160,000 Isaac Murphy Marathon Overnight Stakes May 3 at Churchill Downs. Lone Rock won the 1 ½-mile Isaac Murphy last year.
Diodoro's other stakes runner last weekend was Market Analysis, who finished eighth in the $400,000 Oaklawn Mile (G3) for older horses. Diodoro said he'll look at an easier spot for Market Analysis, who recorded two powerful allowance/optional claiming victories earlier in the meeting.
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