|
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - A simple set of blinkers turned Dreamy Kid into a graded stakes winner on Saturday. Making his graded stakes debut and first start with blinkers, Dreamy Kid pulled an upset in Saturday's Grade 2, $150,000 Swaps Stakes at Hollywood Park, catching 1-2 favorite Coil in the final stride. Ridden by Joe Talamo, Dreamy Kid ($40) was last turning for home, and rallied between horses in early stretch, lengthening his stride through the final furlong to reach the front just in time. Owned by breeder Robert Evans and trained by Neil Drysdale, Dreamy Kid ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.43 and won by a head. "With the blinkers, he's got a great turn of foot," Drysdale said. Coil finished 2 1/4 lengths in front of Uncle Sam, who was followed by Runflatout and Spud Spivens. Boxeur des Rues was scratched on Saturday morning. Coil lost for only the second time in his five-race career, and for the first time since a third in his debut last October. Coil won the Grade 3 Affirmed Handicap here on June 11 in his stakes debut, finishing a length in front of Runflatout. In the Swaps, Runflatout overcame a tardy start to set an early pace of 23.78 and 48.48 seconds, closely followed by Coil. Those two were even entering the stretch when Coil took the lead and appeared to be in position to win comfortably. Talamo guided Dreamy Kid between horses in early stretch and they trailed by 1 1/2 lengths with a furlong remaining. Talamo had worked Dreamy Kid in recent weeks, and knew the colt could close well. "I waited until the last minute and he gave me a big run," said Talamo. Dreamy Kid, by Lemon Drop Kid, has won 2 of 6 starts and $138,880. He beat maidens in his fourth start on May 26 and was fourth in an optional claimer against older horses in his first start against winners on June 26. In the Swaps, run under allowance conditions, Dreamy Kid carried 112 pounds, six less than Coil. "We got quite a bit of weight from him," Drysdale said of the spread between Dreamy Kid and Coil. "This guy is going to improve. We haven't rushed him. He'll get better as we go along."
|
