Dreaming of Anna Digs In, Wins Virginia Oaks

Dreaming of Anna, the 2006 champion juvenile filly who struggled earlier this year, appears to be back on her game with a return to the turf. The Frank Calabrese homebred went gate to wire to win the $210,000 Virginia Oaks at Colonial Downs by a half-length Saturday.

After edging away from Christmas Kid in the stretch to open a two-length lead, Dreaming of Anna, ridden for the first time by E.T. Baird, dug in tenaciously in the final strides to defeat 25-1 shot New Edition. Dreaming of Anna was under left-handed urging inside the sixteenth pole and drifted out late while holding on in a solid time of 1:47 1/5 for the 1 1/8-mile test. The race was contested on firm going on the outer turf course in spite of rain earlier in the day.

Dreaming Anna was sent off as the 3-1 third choice in the field of 12. Ashland (gr. I) winner Christmas Kid, the second choice at 5-2, finished third, while 2-1 elect Bit of Whimsy finished fourth.

Dreaming of Anna set fractions of :24, :48 and 1:11 3/5.

Wayne Catalano trains Dreaming of Anna, a 3-year-old chestnut filly by Rahy--Justenuffheart (Broad Brush) who won last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies en route to year-ending honors. Her 2007 season started slowly. She lost her first three starts including a sixth-place finish in the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) this spring. Dreaming of Anna returned a month later to win the Double Delta on a yielding Arlington turf course tuning up for Saturday's triumph. Dreaming of Anna won twice on the turf as a juvenile, including the Summer Stakes (Can-III) at Woodbine.

Dreaming of Anna has six wins in nine lifetime starts with one second and a third. She earned $120,000 Saturday and has banked $1,446,572 in her career. Anna paid $8.40, $5.80 and $5.

The stalking New Edition ($16.20, $8), ridden by Gabriel Saez, made it interesting but wasn't quite good enough. She was two lengths clear of Christmas Kid ($3.40), who was outfought in the final furlong.

Bit of Whimsy, favored off her dead-heat win in the Sands Point (gr. IIIT) at Belmont Park June 2, was a length back in fourth. She was followed by Snow Cone, Lemonlime, Ardnavagh, Swingit, Ciao, Cabbage Key, Super Slash and Silence Dogood. Bees scratched.

(Chart, Equibase)