Champions Dream could sit perfect trip in Nashua

Champions Dream can be closer to the pace than he found himself in his most recent start and on Sunday he could get an ideal tracking trip off the rail-drawn Full Moon Madness in the Grade 3, $150,000 Nashua at Aqueduct.

The one-turn mile for 2-year-olds is one of two stakes on the card. The $150,000 Tempted is for 2-year-old fillies at the same distance.

The Nashua drew a field of six, and Full Moon Madness could go favored off a sharp maiden win for which the son of Into Mischief and Grade 1 winner By the Moon earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 82. Signator, a $1.7 million purchase at auction in April, also will get good support following his clear maiden win at this distance last out at Aqueduct.

“It will be a fun race,” said Danny Gargan, who trains Champions Dream. “It’s all live horses. Hopefully, we get a good, clean trip.”

That was not the case for Champions Dream in his last start, when he finished fifth in the Grade 1 Champagne behind winner Blazing Sevens and runner-up Verifying, both of whom were to have run Friday at Keeneland in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. As for Champions Dream, he encountered a wet track for the first time in the Champagne, which was run Oct. 1 at Aqueduct.

“He had a rough trip,” Gargan said. “He caught a sloppy track and he’d never had slop in his face. He was bumped out of the gate, bumped around . . . and he didn’t like the track at all.”

One start prior, Champions Dream wired a maiden field at Saratoga. The win came over seven furlongs in his career debut Sept. 3. Champions Dream broke on top from post 8 and went on to a 2 1/4-length win. Champions Dream on Sunday will break from post 4 under Irad Ortiz Jr. and has the speed to keep Full Moon Madness in his sights.

“I like the outside draw,” Gargan said. “His first race, he ran really well so we’ll just let him bounce out of there. I think [Full Moon Madness] has a lot of speed. He’ll be up front. We’ll see what happens.”

Champions Dream is a son of Triple Crown winner Justify owned by Rosedown Racing Stables.

Full Moon Madness added blinkers last out, winning an Oct. 1 maiden special weight at Aqueduct by 5 3/4 lengths. He broke on top and made all the pace in the 6 1/2-furlong sprint, which marked the third start of his career. Full Moon Madness is owned by his breeder, Jay Em Ess Stable. Trainer Michelle Nevin has given the mount to Manny Franco.

Signator rallied from off the pace when winning his maiden Oct. 14 at Aqueduct. He proved 4 1/2 lengths best, and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 73. The win came in his second career start. Signator, who was purchased as a 2-year-old in training at an Ocala Breeders Sales Co. auction, is a son of Tapit and the mare Pension, who has produced a pair of Grade 2 winners in Thoughtfully and Annual Report.

Shug McGaughey trains Signator for West Point Thoroughbreds, Woodford Racing, and Gainesway Stable. Javier Castellano has the mount from post 3.

Foggy Night invades

Foggy Night has shipped in for the Tempted from Parx Racing, where she was an 11 1/4-length maiden-special winner in her most recent start. She is part of a six-horse field at Aqueduct, with one of her chief rivals the quick debut winner Good Sam.

Foggy Night won over a mile and 70 yards, after finishing second in a pair of maiden-special sprints at Parx. For her maiden win, she earned a career-high Beyer of 73.

“We were definitely looking forward to running her around two turns, adding a little distance to her game,” trainer Butch Reid Jr. said. “She always acted like that type. The hunch came true. She handled everything like we thought.”

Paco Lopez was aboard and has the mount Sunday from post 3. Foggy Night will be moving to a one-turn configuration for the Tempted.

“We were looking for a two-turn race, and there’s really nothing around right now,” Reid said. “This fit into her schedule, and she came out of her last race sharp.”

Foggy Night races for Pine Brook Farm.

Good Sam owns the field’s best Beyer, an 81 for her wire-to-wire maiden win over 6 1/2 furlongs Oct. 2 at Aqueduct. Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount for Peter Brant and trainer Chad Brown.