Despite long layoff, Dreaming of Drew looks ready for Long Branch Stakes
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Just 56 horses were entered in the eight races on Saturday’s opening-day card at Woodbine, which isn’t surprising considering the harsh Canadian winter that made preparing horses to be race-ready in early spring difficult for the trainers who didn’t go south.
Those who raced or trained in the United States during the off-season should have a decided advantage during the early portion of the meet. Dreaming of Drew fits the bill in Saturday’s feature, the $100,000 Long Branch Stakes, although she hasn’t raced since her victory in the $250,000 Princess Elizabeth Stakes in October 2020.
The versatile Dreaming of Drew was a Sovereign Award finalist for champion 2-year-old filly in 2020. Trainer Barbara Minshall is looking forward to running the striking daughter of the late Speightster.
“It’s really nice to have her back,” Minshall said. “She was supposed to run at Keeneland [in April of 2021], and then she got injured and it just took a while for everything to be perfect again. She was in South Carolina with Travis Durr the whole time. She just came up here a couple weeks ago.”
Dreaming of Drew breezed five-eighths in 1:00.40 here April 2. She recorded another rapid Tapeta drill a week later, a half-mile in 47, which was the fastest of 162 works at the distance.
“She’s really feeling good,” Minshall said. “She’s good to go. We’ll see what happens.”
Perennial leading Woodbine trainer Mark Casse entered Our Secret Agent and Jeanie B in the 5 1/2-furlong sprint for fillies and mares.
Our Secret Agent was a Sovereign Award finalist for champion female sprinter in 2021. Her lone stakes score came in the Grade 3 Hendrie in October, after which she ran second in the Grade 2 Bessarabian.
Casse said he doesn’t think Our Secret Agent will need one off the winter layoff, but the distance could be a problem.
“She’s training well,” Casse said. “It may be just a touch short for her.”
Jeanie B won on synthetics in England in 2019 before shipping to Casse in 2020. A two-time allowance winner on turf in North America, the 5-year-old was beaten a nose by Amalfi Coast in the Grade 2 Royal North here last August.
Jeanie B wound up fifth in her season opener, a March 10 allowance on the Tapeta at Gulfstream Park, an effort Casse was content with.
“We ran her there with this race in mind,” Casse noted. “I think she’ll be fine on [the Tapeta].”
Completing the seven-horse field are Nikee Kan, Marais, Ima Beast, and Imagery.
Nikee Kan is the first Canadian starter for Florida trainer Jose D’Angelo, who is coming off a successful Gulfstream Park Championship meet in which he finished third in the standings with 30 wins.