Dream Rush lived up to her name as she assumed an early lead and rolled untested to an impressive victory in the Prioress (gr. I) (VIDEO) at Belmont Park on Saturday.
Ridden by Eibar Coa as the 3-5 favorite in the field of nine 3-year-old fillies, Dream Rush held the lead over Ticket to Seattle and Appealing Zophie while getting the opening quarter mile in :22.13. Still in charge after a half-mile in :44.71, Dream Rush stopped the timer in :56.42 for five-eighths and drew off to complete the six furlongs in 1:09.02.
In posting her fifth victory in seven starts, with two runner-up efforts, Dream Rush paid $3.30, $2.50, and $2.10. Longshot Graeme Six closed in the stretch to take second, paying $10 and $5, with Silver Knockers returning $3.30 for third.
Trained by Richard Violette, Dream Rush races for the partnership of West Point Stable, Lewis Lakin, and John Sikura. Bred in Kentucky by James H. Petrey Jr., the daughter of Wild Rush produced from the Unbridled mare Turbo Dream was purchased for $285,000 at the 2006 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s February sale of 2-year-olds in training.
Previous to the Prioress, Dream Rush finished second as the odds-on favorite to Cotton Blossom in the grade I Acorn. In her stakes debut, the filly won the Old Hat Stakes (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park and following a break of nearly three months rolled to a 9 1/4-length triumph in the Nassau County Breeders’ Cup Handicap (gr. II) at Belmont previous to the Acorn.
“She has unbelievable speed when you want to use it,” Violette said. “She’s been second twice in her life: once, when I got her beat and another time when she was run down by a very nice filly. A lot of the times, when there is this much speed in a race, you’re supposed to take it to them. There were no stone-cold closers in the race, so most of the time when you win that battle, you win the race.
"Eibar fits her like a glove. She’s just a nice filly. This is a great thing to have under our belts. She’s a grade I winner now, and now the Darley Test is certainly our goal, as long she comes out of it well. This was a hard race. Sshe was all-out and she ran fast.”
“I thought I was on the best horse today,” said Coa, who was not aboard Dream Rush in the Acorn. “I was really surprised she got beat last time out. She got a little tired because she just wants to be on the lead. She fought be just a little bit. I think she is a very special filly.”
(Chart, Equibase)
