Hallowed Dreams silenced her doubters again Saturday by winning the $75,000 Pan Zareta Handicap by 2 1/2 lengths at Fair Grounds. Now a 10-time stakes winner and victorious in all but one of her 20 career starts, Hallowed Dreams turned back her strongest opposition yet. "She ran a typical Hallowed Dreams race," said co-owner and trainer Lloyd Romero. "She is consistent with fractions and (jockey) Sylvester (Carmouche) gave her a great ride." After dueling with Roxelana and Steal a Heart through the first half-mile in 44 3-5 seconds, Hallowed Dreams cut the corner turning for home and quickly opened a four-length lead at the furlong marker. She coasted home in 1:09 3-5, one-fifth off the stakes record. "On the turn, she wanted to go," said Carmouche. "When we got in the stretch, she just took off. It will take an awfully good one to beat her." Added Romero, "She was more fit today than her last race. She belongs to Louisiana. If they want her, come and get her. We'll keep her with fillies. The Victoria Lass (Handicap on March 17) is next." My Alibi rallied for second, a neck better than Fiesty Countess. Roxelana, the 4-5 favorite who was a graded stakes winner last year, finished fourth. "We just got beat by one heck of a filly," said Lonnie Meche, rider of the runner-up.
Steve Asmussen, trainer of Fiesty Countess, concurred. "We ran behind her last time and we ran behind her again," Asmussen said. "We'll probably run keep running behind her." A Louisiana-bred filly making her 4-year-old season debut, Hallowed Dreams ($7.40) increased her earnings to $472,444 with her biggest stakes victory to date.