'Anna Gets Confidence Builder in Arlington Turf Win

(from Arlington Park report)
Frank C. Calabrese’s Dreaming of Anna, Eclipse Award winning 2-year-old filly last year, snapped a three-race losing streak when she returned to her Arlington Park homebase and defeated five rivals in $47,400 Double Delta Stakes on the turf Saturday. 

Regular rider Rene Douglas guided the homebred daughter of Rahy to a driving 1 1/4-length victory over Nice Inheritance, getting the mile over yielding turf in 1:37.96 as the 2-5 favorite.

Dreaming of Anna broke her maiden at Arlington last summer and remained undefeated during her four-race freshman campaign including a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) at Churchill Downs to secure championship honors. She had yet to win in 2007, most recently running sixth after making the pace in the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) on May 4.

Though facing considerably easier competition here, the victory was anything but facile for the Wayne Catalano-trained filly, who pressed the pace from the outside before taking the lead on the turn for home.

“It was her first time back and she felt real comfortable on the grass,” Douglas said. “Honestly, I got a little worried. I knew she could put them away but I wanted her to do it more on her own turning for home. She’s only going to get better now.”

Dreaming of Anna earned $28,440 for the win, her fifth in eight trips to the post, to push her bankroll to $1,376,572.

She paid $2.80, $2.20 and $2.10. Nice Inheritance returned $4.80 and $3.60 after finishing a neck better than Lemonlime, who paid $5.20.

Also on Saturday, Wertheimer & Frère’s Quiet Royal split horses in the stretch and drew off to win the $47,400 Reluctant Guest Stakes by three lengths over Chic Dancer to give Douglas a sweep of the day’s stakes races.

The Todd Pletcher-trained daughter of Royal Academy covered the grassy mile in 1:36.31 and paid $4.80, $2.60 and $2.40.

Chic Dancer returned $2.40 and $2.40.  Black Java was third in the seven-horse lineup and paid $6.

(Chart, Equibase)