Churchill Downs: Dream Supreme has familiar cast

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - With horses converging on Churchill Downs from all over the world for the Breeders’ Cup, there are numerous races Saturday in which many runners have limited experience racing at Churchill Downs.

The $85,000 Dream Supreme for 3-year-old fillies, the first stakes race on the Breeders’ Cup undercard, is a clear exception.

Seven of nine entrants have raced over the Churchill main track, and six are local winners – led by graded stakes winners Dancinginherdreams, who won the 2010 Pocahontas; Just Louise, winner of the Debutante during the summer of 2010; and Salty Strike, who took the Dogwood this June.

Dancinginherdreams, who entered 2011 as a leading Kentucky Oaks contender, is heavily favored at 6-5 on the morning line to win the Dream Supreme under Julien Leparoux.

Although she never made the Oaks, she performed well in losing performances early this year, running second to Pomeroys Pistol and R Heat Lightning in graded stakes races at Gulfstream Park.

Following a last-place finish in the Grade 1 Ashland in April, she was given a freshening to recover from a knee that was beginning to trouble her.

She returned Oct. 13 at Keeneland and rallied to be second against second-level allowance horses – a race from which she should benefit heading into the six-furlong Dream Supreme.

Salty Strike is another expected to move forward off a recent race at Keeneland – with a last-place finish in the 5 1/2-furlong Franklin County Stakes on turf Oct. 14 being best considered a toss-out race.