Dream of Summer Stakes ($100.000 Purse)
SA- For Fillies and Mares Four Years Old and Upward Foaled in CA
One Mile on the Dirt
March 27, 2016

There was a field of five in this years running of the Dream of Summer Stakes, but it always seemed as though the race would come down to the two of them start in the inside-most posts.  In the end, there was really no surprised with this finish, as Chili Time defeated Gnarly Less in a tight battle up front, while the rest of the field battled for third.   Chili Time had all the experience you want for the race, including having run in the BC five months ago.  However, there was still some uncertainty, given that she was carrying six pounds more then the competition.  In the end, the Skeleton Key filly would be able to overcome that disadvantage to score the third stake win of her career.   The winning time of 1:36.00 was a little slower then the only prior running of the race, in 2014; but Exav One didn’t carry the kind of weight she did today.  Congratulations to the winning trainer, Rockitpad, who is now 2-for-3 in the stakes she has entered during 2016.  Let’s take a deeper look:

1st- 2- Chili Time (4/1)- Our eventual race winner from Rockitpad was not that interested in the early pace of the race, opting for a position near the back of the pack; though she was never as far back as Not Surprised would be.  She was able to keep her primary rival in close proximity, staying about two lengths behind Gnarly Less as the field moved into the backstretch. She would decide to stay in this position during the backstretch and into the turn.   It was then that jockey K J Desormeaux looked to make her move to the outside of Gnarly Less but that one needed to come down into her lane so that she could make her move around Skeleton Crafts.  At the top of the stretch, Gnarly Less drifted down the track just enough for Chili Time’s lane to become clear and unobstructed, and she would pounce on it like the two time graded stake winner she is.  In the stretch, she was excellent.  Carrying those six extra pounds may have kept her from putting more distance between her and Gnarly Less, but she was absolutely not going to be denied here.  Chili Time is a four year old filly by Skeleton Key and out of the late Serenitime.  She was bred in California as a second quarter two year old by Rockitpad, who is the only owner she has ever known. Congrats again!

2nd- 1- Gnarly Less (6/5)- The choice of the betting public got off to a rather average start, settling in about a length from Zavila while being happy to stay on the rail for Mb Stables.  As Skeleton Crafts made her way into the turn, R Bejarano heard the approaching hoofsteps of Chili Time coming and made his own move around Zevila.  That pass was completed quite easily. Throughout the turn, she closed in on leader Skeleton Crafts and would make that pass, but it was clear that Chili Time was the one she had to worry about.  Gnarly Less, perhaps to her peril here today, drifted out more then it seemed necessary in the stretch as she tried to hold off her rival, but would not be able to do so.

3rd- 5- Skeleton Crafts (5/2)- Got off to a good start for trainer Chili King Stables, and initially it seemed as though she would be content to stalk her stablemate around the opening turn.  But on exit of that turn, Skeleton Crafts exploded as if the wire was imminent on the backstretch. Set the opening quarter in :23.96 and half in :47.17 as she opened up by two and a half over the backstretch and into the turn.  Her lead would shrink in the turn, and at the top of the stretch both Gnarly Less and Chili Time went by to set up their own battle for the win. Skeleton Crafts was decent enough to the wire to hang on for third.

4th- 3- Zevila (6/1)- The other Chili King Stables was the quickest of them all out of the gate, and would lead the field as the run around the turn began.  When her stablemate had a speed burst heading into the backstretch, Zevila backed off from the lead.  Maintained this position over the course of the backstretch run, but would not have an answer for Gnarly Less when that one decided to move.  She showed signs of not being up to the task in the turn, and would eventually bow out of it in the stretch.

5th- 4- Not Surprised (10/1)- The Threshold entry did not get off to a great start, opting to trail the field in the early moments.  She was about 7 lengths out when the backstretch run began, and made virtually no progress during that portion of the race.  In the stretch, she was in her best stride, but it was way too late at that point, and simply got her closer to fourth.

Track: Fast
Time: :23⁴  :47   1:10⁴  1:36

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 2 – 1 Paid 4.20
$1 Trifecta: 2 – 1 – 5 Paid 43.30

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded