Dream Pauline late addition to field for Sugar Swirl

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Saturday’s $100,000 Sugar Swirl lost likely favorite Curlin’s Approval earlier this week due to a minor illness, but picked up a couple of surprise entrants with Dream Pauline and Stormy Embrace among the eight fillies and mares now slated to contest the six-furlong Grade 3 dash.

Dream Pauline was not among the 13 horses originally nominated to the Sugar Swirl, but trainer Kiaran McLaughlin had a last-minute change of heart, opting to ship her down from New York on Tuesday and supplement her into the race. Dream Pauline, a homebred daughter of Tapit owned by Stonestreet Stables, launched her career with a maiden win at Aqueduct last year and an allowance victory at Saratoga in August before finishing a troubled third making her stakes debut in the Dream Supreme last month at Churchill Downs.

Javier Castellano will ride Dream Pauline on Saturday.

“I entered her in a stakes in New York last weekend but she drew the rail,” said McLaughlin, referring to Saturday’s Garland of Roses at Aqueduct. “I also knew I could get Javier, who rode her when she won at Saratoga, for the race down here and that it was going to come up a short field as well. So I decided to scratch and put her on a van to Florida.”

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McLaughlin said he was pleased with Dream Pauline’s effort in the Dream Supreme, even though she was beaten more than six lengths by race winner Vertical Oak.

“Our filly had a terrible trip,” he said. “She was checked pretty hard twice down the backstretch while the winner had everything her own way and was much the best that day. But I was happy to get black type for her since she is so well bred, and I’m still hopeful she can become a graded stakes winner one day.”

Trainer Kathleen O’Connell originally said she would bypass the Sugar Swirl with Stormy Embrace because the distance didn’t suit her that well, but she will now join Dream Pauline in a field that also includes Dream Supreme runner-up Awestruck, Money or Love, Pacific Gale, Proper Discretion, Surprise Wedding, and Bronx Beauty.

McLaughlin also entered Grade 2 winner Qurbaan and Zennor in Saturday’s Fort Lauderdale Stakes, although Zennor is on the also-eligible list. Sixteen were entered in the Fort Lauderdale, a 1 1/8-mile turf race for 3-year-olds and up.

Qurbaan won the Grade 2 Bernard Baruch making his U.S. debut this past summer at Saratoga before finishing third in the Grade 1 Shadwell Mile five weeks later at Keeneland. Qurbaan, a son of Speightstown, is owned by Shadwell.

“He was a little wide in the Shadwell Mile and ran very well, considering,” said McLaughlin. “We were hoping to run him in the Breeders’ Cup Mile but he didn’t get in, so here we are. He’s doing very well, and I think the mile and one-eighth should hit him right between the eyes.”

There are five stakes on the card Saturday, all of which are graded. In addition to the Fort Lauderdale and Sugar Swirl, Gulfstream will feature the Grade 2 Harlan’s Holiday, for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/16 miles on the main track; the Grade 3 Rampart, for fillies and mares going a mile on the main track; and the Grade 3 My Charmer for fillies and mares going a mile on turf.