Purchased privately following a maiden win, last year’s overachieving Debutante S. winner and GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up Vodka With a Twist (Thousand Words) hit the board in five straight graded stakes races for trainer Phil D’Amato in Southern California beginning with the GIII Sorrento S. at Del Mar.<\/p>\n
Taylor Made’s Medallion Racing will look to follow a similar blueprint with impressive Laurel Park debut winner<\/a> Dreaming of Alys (Upstart<\/a>), who will face five rivals, led by the Bob Baffert-trained ‘TDN Rising Star’ Himika (Curlin<\/a>), going six furlongs in Sunday’s Sorrento.<\/p>\n Dreaming of Alys was acquired privately by Medallion Racing, Agave Racing Stable and Evan Trommer and transferred to D’Amato after shooting up the rail in the stretch en route to a 4 3\/4-length victory for Non Stop Stable and London Reid Thoroughbreds and trainer Gary Capuano going 5 1\/2 furlongs at Laurel Park June 13. She earned a 62 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.<\/p>\n
Medallion Racing, BlackRidge Stables, Schwing Thoroughbreds, Omar Aldabbagh and William Strauss campaign the aforementioned Vodka With a Twist, who has posted a career record of 10-2-4-2 and earnings of $723,350.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause of the success of Vodka last year, it just made us look for a horse that we could have a similar angle with,\u201d Medallion Racing Manager Phillip Shelton said. \u201cThere are smaller fields (in California) and you have a big opportunity to have a shot to hit the board in a graded stake. Frankly, if we run third, we’re in a great spot financially. It’s a good opportunity to try.\u201d<\/p>\n Dreaming of Alys, a $45,000 Keeneland September graduate, was bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm. Her on-the-rise sire Upstart<\/a> is responsible for six graded\/21 stakes winners worldwide. She was produced by the unplaced Street Sense<\/a> mare Grammajo, a half-sister to stakes winners Blue Heart (Exchange Rate) and Financial Recovery (Street Cry {Ire}).<\/p>\n Grammajo brought $57,000 from Chad Schumer, agent, carrying a full sister to Dreaming of Alys at the 2023 KEENOV sale. This is also the extended female family of champion sprinter Housebuster.<\/p>\n \u201cShe was a bit green the whole way, then started to piece it together,\u201d Shelton said of her debut. \u201cThe second that happened, she drew away and really leveled off. I liked the way she did it. She’s an Upstart<\/a>, he’s obviously had a great year. She should get better with distance. She’s got a good pedigree and is very attractive physically. We’re hoping two turns. To step up to six (furlongs) is gonna be good, a step up to seven (furlongs) will be even better. I think this filly will have an opportunity to be a 3-year-old, too. She’s got enough scope, size and pedigree to make you think so.\u201d<\/p>\n Dreaming of Alys has posted five workouts for D’Amato, including a five-furlong move in :59.40 (6\/65) at Del Mar Aug. 3. She’s listed as the third choice at 7-2 on the morning line in the Sorrento. Antonio Fresu will ride.<\/p>\n
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