Dream Dancing © Benoit Photo
In one of the most thrilling finishes of the Del Mar summer season, John C. Oxley’s Dream Dancing nosed out Beau Recall to win the Grade I $300,000 Del Mar Oaks for three-year-old fillies Saturday.
In her Del Mar debut, with regular pilot Julien Leparoux on hand from the East coast to ride, Dream Dancing prevailed in a blanket climax to the nine-furlong race over the infield grass course. Third, only a neck behind runner-up Beau Recall, was 7-2 favored Madam Dancealot, with Con Te Partiro a closing fourth in the field of a dozen top class fillies. Withdrawn from the race were Bernina Star and Pistol Packin Rose.
Dream Dancing, trained by Mark Casse, stepped the distance in 1:48.06 and returned $15.20, $6.60 and $4.20 after notching her fourth win in 12 starts. The win was worth $180,000 and increased the Tapit filly’s career earnings to $415,210. Prior to the Del Mar Oaks, Dream Dancing had campaigned exclusively in the east, with two stakes victories at Gulfstream Park in Florida last winter.
Beau Recall, who was ridden by Joe Talamo in a tough defeat, paid $5.80 and $3.60, while Madam Dancealot returned $3.60 to show.
JULIEN LEPAROUX (Dream Dancing, winner) – “No special instructions from Mark (trainer Mark Casse). The last time I rode her, I asked her at the three-eighths and she got a little weary at the end. This time I tried to wait as long as I could and she was still strong at the finish. This feels good; a win is a win, no matter where you get it.”
JOSEPH TALAMO (Beau Recall, second) – “I’ve had my fair share of bad beats in my career, but this one has to rank right up there (with the worst of them). Nasty. I had a good trip, she fought when that other filly (Dream Dancing) came up outside her, but we just got beat (by a nose).”
JAMIE THERIOT (Madam Dancealot, third) – “I had a great trip. I was getting through all the way on the rail. At the top the stretch I saw a hole and I said ‘If I can get through there, this is going to be one of the great rides.’ I got through, just barely. I felt my horse brush horses on both sides of me. But I had to alter stride for two jumps and that cost me. She ran great and tried hard. Almost.”
FLAVIEN PRAT (Con Te Partiro, fourth) – “She was going nice and easy over on the backside. Then she came with a nice move late. Just not good enough today.”
JULIE STORMFELT, assistant to Mark Casse (Dream Dancing, winner) – “There was a very good pace up front, which she likes. She has more than one run and a very good kick and when I saw her coming down the stretch I was just screaming, very happy. This is my first time travelling with a horse and it’s nice to be a winner.”
FRACTIONS: :23.61 :47.27 1:11.63 1:36.18 1:48.06
The stakes win was the first of the meet for rider Leparoux, but his second in the Oaks (Discreet Marq, 2013). He now has nine stakes wins at Del Mar.
The stakes win was the first of the meet for trainer Mark Casse and his first in the Del Mar Oaks. He now has five stakes wins at Del Mar.
Owner John C. Oxley is from Tulsa, OK.