Florida Focus

Dreaming of Snow Upsets Champion Wonder Wheel in Suncoast

Compiled by Brock Sheridan

Also earns $50,000 Florida-bred win bonus from FTBOA

Florida-bred Dreaming of Snow withstood a stretch long challenge from recently crowned champion 2-year-old filly Wonder Wheel to win the $150,000 Suncoast at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 11 at odds of 38-1. The Suncoast, which presented a field of eight that advantage to a length after a half-mile in :47.07. Dreaming of Snow tried to shake free from her rivals around the far turn as Opus Forty Two moved into second, Ticker Tape Home began to retreat and Wonder Wheel started to advance on the outside.

Dreaming of Snow continued to show the way on the inside into the stretch while Wonder Wheel took second and Grade 2 Demoiselle-winner Julia Shining moved into third on the far outside.

Wonder Wheel and jockey Tyler Gaffalione tried to get by Dreaming of Snow while they raced together down the stretch but the latter fought off her more accomplished rival to win her first added-money affair in 1:40.18 on the track labeled fast.

“I said ‘Put your hands under her, Dear Lord, and carry her on home,’” trainer Gerald Bennett said of Dreaming of Snow’s determined run in the final furlong.

Wonder Wheel finished second, a length-and-a-quarter ahead of Julia Shining in third followed, in order, by Opus Forty Two, Florida-bred Charlie’s Wish, Champagne Calling, Fast Tracked and Ticker Tape Home.

Wonder Wheel earned eight Oaks qualifying points for finishing second while Julia Shining picked up six Oaks points. Opus Forty Two earned four Oaks points while Charlie’s Wish got two points for finishing fifth.

Dreaming of Snow paid $78 on a $2 win ticket.

3-year-old fillies going a mile-and-40-yards on the main track, awarded 40 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points to the first five finishers on a 20-8-6-4-2 basis.

Dreaming of Snow also earned a $50,000 bonus as a Florida-bred winner presented by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association.

Based on her Eclipse Award championship and victories in the Grade 1 NetJet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 4 and in the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades in October, both at Keeneland, Wonder Wheel was made the 1-2 favorite in the Suncoast but she was unable to wear down a stubborn Dreaming of Snow, who won by a neck.

Dreaming of Snow and jockey Samy Camacho shot from post five at the start of the Suncoast to take a clear lead into the clubhouse turn as Display Stakes runner-up Ticker Tape Home gave chase in second and Gasparilla-winner Opus Forty Two was forced to check hard while racing in third on the rail.

Dreaming of Snow had a half-length on Ticket Tape Home coming out of the first turn after a quarter-mile in :24.05 but extended

“[Dreaming of Snow has] been training really well and getting better and better,” Bennett continued. “She went a little backwards during the cold weather but she blew out like a monster [going four furlongs in :46 flat on Feb. 4] and galloped out quick. You had to be on the rail today and I told Samy [Camacho] to put her on the lead and she kept going. She likes this track, so you can’t win it if you’re not in it.”

Camacho said he knew early that Dreaming of Snow had talent, but was surprised at how well she handled the added distance after finishing fourth to winner Opus Forty Two in the seven-furlong Gasparilla at Tampa Bay Downs on Jan. 14.

“I know this filly well and when I got on her in the morning for the first time, I told [Bennett] ‘I have to stay on her,’” Camacho said. “She’s pretty nice but I never thought she would run two turns like this. She came back again when Wonder Wheel came to her.”

Bennett and Camacho had to momentarily wait out a claim of foul by jockey Daniel Centeno on Opus Forty Two, but the track stewards left the order of finish intact.

It was the first stakes victory for Dreaming of Snow, who was also fourth in the $100,000 Sandpiper won by fellow Florida-bred Dorth Vader at Tampa Bay Downs on Dec. 3. However, she had shown promise between her starts in the Sandpiper and Gasparilla when she won a first level, $75,000 optional claiming by eight-and- a-half lengths at Tampa on Dec. 17 at six furlongs.

Dreaming of Snow is owned by Team Equistaff LLC and Bennett’s Winning Stable Inc. and she was bred in Florida by Karyn Philipp. By Ocala Stud stallion Jess’s Dream out of Snow Fashion, by Old Fashioned, Dreaming of Snow is a twotime graduate of Ocala Breeders’ Sales having first sold for $35,000 out of the Bobby Jones Equine consignment to Vina Del Mar Thoroughbreds at the 2021 OBS October Sale. She was also purchased by Mary K. Thomas for $60,000 at the 2022 OBS March Sale where she was consigned by Boutte Sales.

Her overall record now stands at three wins from five starts and earnings of $170,850.

Snow Fashion has three winners from three starters with Dreaming of Snow being her only stakes winner. She has an unraced 2-year-old colt, Snowname, by The Big Beast, who stands at Ocala Stud, and a yearling colt, Keep On Snowing, by Bridlewood Farm stallion Valiant Minister. n

Yes I Am Free Defends Title in Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint

Golden Kernel Racing Stable’s Yes I Am Free continued the domination by Florida-breds in the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint as the 7-year-old gelding won the $125,000 test for the second consecutive year on Jan. 11. Yes I Am Free was the best of five 4-year-olds and older who sprinted five furlongs on the firm turf in the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint, which has been won by Florida-breds in six of the 13 editions of the race since 2010.

Florida-breds also swept both stakes at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 11 as One Identity won the $100,000 Ladies Turf Sprint earlier on the card.

Ridden by Miguel Vasquez from post four, Yes I Am Free set every fraction while leading by a length-and-a-half through quarter-mile splits of :21.75 and :44.33 as County Final and Carotari pursued together in second.

Yes I Am Free took a clear lead into the stretch before 7-5 favorite Carotari and Joel Rosario made a late run to get second, a half-