With most all of the pari-mutuel attention focused on Bob Baffert's first-time starter Bezos, trainer Peter Eurton's longshot Dream Shake stole the show on Big Game Sunday at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., as he powered to the lead turning for home en route to an emphatic 4 ¾-length win that could serve as an onramp to the 2021 Derby Trail. A 3-year-old first time starter by Twirling Candy, Dream Shake got 6 ½ furlongs geared down under Joel Rosario in 1:17.34.
“The things that he did in in his first half miles (works) were quite impressive, but we never (had) really tested him, we've always worked him against mediocrity most of the time and he's done that pretty easily, so we were all optimistic about him, but you really don't know until you put 'em in the gate against the quality (competition) that we had today,” said Eurton.
So, does this win against a highly regarded field of sophomores that also included Mr. Impossible, who was second in his debut versus Saturday's Grade 2 San Vicente winner Concert Tour suggest Dream Shake could be headed to the Derby Trail?
“Against a field of this stature today, I would've been happy with anything fourth and above,” he said. “Now that he's done this, it's just a question of how he comes back. I think anything further, seven furlongs to a mile, would be very good. We'll just try to enjoy this for now, but trust me, we'll probably be looking for a race before the evening has ended.
“He's such a smart horse. At the beginning he was a little bit green, he wouldn't run inside, so we put blinkers on him. As soon as he started becoming aware of things, he did everything pretty handily.”
Out of the Street Cry mare Even Song, Dream Shake sold for $75,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s April 2020 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. Dismissed at 20-1 among a field of nine sophomores, Dream Shake paid $42.00, $13.40 and $6.80.
Owned by Exline-Border Racing, LLC, SAF Racing and Richard Hausman, Dream Shake banked $36,600 for today's win.
Trained by Mike Puype and ridden by Jose Valdivia, Jr., Harbored Memories was attentive to the pace, trading early punches with Bezos and Mr. Impossible. In his second start and first on dirt, Harbored Memories was off at 13-1 and paid $10.20 and $6.20 while finishing 3 ¼ lengths in front of Mr. Impossible.
Ridden by Umberto Rispoli for Simon Callaghan, Mr. Impossible had a half length lead after the first half mile and was clearly third best on the day. The second choice at 7-2, he paid $3.40 to show.
Bezos, who was heavily favored with Mike Smith at 3-5 and who has generated a good deal of hype in Kentucky Derby future wagering, broke alertly from his number five post and appeared to a have perfect trip but was done at the top of the lane, finishing seventh.
Fractions on the race were 23.40, 46.19 and 1:10.99.
Racing will resume with a four-day week on Friday. First post time for an eight-race card is at 12:30 p.m.
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