Dream Lith on schedule for Rachel Alexandra
In early January, trainer Robertino Diodoro elected to move 3-year-old filly Dream Lith from Oaklawn to Fair Grounds, concerned that wintry weather in Arkansas could interrupt Dream Lith’s preparation for her 2022 debut.
“The way her schedule is, we didn’t have any room for missed training, so we had to make this call,” Diodoro said.
Sure enough, training at Oaklawn had to be halted this week because of a winter storm, while at Fair Grounds, Dream Lith posted three January breezes and is scheduled to “have a good stiff work this weekend, weather permitting,” Diodoro said.
Dream Lith won her career debut at Saratoga, ran unplaced in the Grade 1 Spinaway and the Grade 1 Alcibiades, but closed her 2-year-old campaign with a victory in the Grade 2 Golden Rod, her first start in blinkers. She remains on track to race Feb. 19 in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes at Fair Grounds.
“That’s the plan right now,” Diodoro said. “She got a nice little break and has come back to train very well. Her last work was her best since she came back.”
Diodoro doesn’t usually stable at Fair Grounds but has a handful of stalls this winter.
“I wanted to get my foot in the door there anyway. We’ll try to build it up a little,” he said.