Dream Shake had not raced since November and was making only his eighth start in 26 months, yet still proved best Sunday at Colonial Downs in the $150,000 Van Clief Stakes. Getting a fine trip under Ben Curtis, Dream Shake broke from the rail and was taken off the fence to race from seventh down the backstretch, running about five lengths behind pacesetting longshot Cruzin Man in this 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint. Dream Shake, going easily under only the subtlest encouragement from his jockey, began moving up around the turn and came four to five paths wide into the homestretch, taking aim on Cruzin Man, Bear River, and Mister Mmmmm. Three right-handers from Curtis and Dream Shake made the lead with about 150 yards remaining, briefly opening daylight before Witty came with a late run to nab second, three-quarters of a length behind the winner. :: Bet with the Best! Get FREE All-Access PPs and Weekly Cashback when you wager on DRF Bets. Dream Shake paid $18.40 as the third choice and clocked 1:02.51 on Colonial’s outer turf course, which was rated firm. Witty, who brushed with a rival inside him while stoking up approaching the eighth pole, finished three-quarters of a length in front of third-place Determined Kingdom. Mischief Magic, the 3-5 favorite, broke poorly but always races from the back of the field anyway, making little late progress and checking in seventh. Ably prepared for his long-layoff comeback by trainer Michael Stidham, Dream Shake won for the fifth time in 16 starts. Best known in the early phase of his career for finishing a close second behind Jackie’s Warrior in the 2021 Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs, Dream Shake began racing for Stidham in June 2023 following a 13-month layoff. Switched first to synthetic-surface racing and then turf last year, Dream Shake won the Connaught Cup at Woodbine over seven furlongs on turf last summer. “It’s hard to believe he had never raced at 5 1/2 on the grass until today,” Stidham said. “It looks like this is his sweet spot.” Dream Shake campaigns for Exline-Border Racing, his former trainer Peter Eurton, Richard Hausman and Stonestreet Stable. A 6-year-old gelding, Dream Shake is by Twirling Candy out of Even Song, by Street Cry, and was bred in Kentucky by Dunwoody Farm. Andy Guest Stakes Beauty of the Sea scored a convincing 1 ½-length victory in the $150,000 Andy Guest Stakes, a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for older fillies and mares. Ridden with utmost confidence by Paco Lopez, Beauty of the Sea pressed the pace of Bosserati around the turn before easily taking command at the head of the homestretch and posting a 1 1/2-length win over Hollywood Walk, with Blame Day third. Medalla Match was mounting a solid homestretch run when she broke down, was pulled up, and was taken in distress from the track in an equine ambulance. Beauty of the Sea was a stakes winner last year at age 3 and has improved considerably this season for trainer Joe Orseno and her owner, Ironhorse Racing Stable. Based at Monmouth Park, Beauty of the Sea ($3.60) won the June 22 Goldwood Stakes there in her most recent outing. Sunday, she was timed in 1:03.03 over the inner turf course, which was rated firm. Beauty of the Sea is by Bucchero (also campaigned by Ironhorse) and out of the Poseidon’s Warrior mare, Belong to Sea. She was bred in Florida by Shade Tree Thoroughbreds. Petramalo Mile Regalo, a 17-1 shot, and Carmelina, the 7-5 favorite, notched front-running wins in dirt stakes for 3-year-olds Sunday at Colonial. Regalo went wire to wire in the $102,000 Petramalo Mile, holding on to win by a scant nose over Awesome Ruta, who chased Regalo throughout the one-turn contest. A half-length farther back in third came 1-2 favorite Hades, who had aim on the top two throughout the homestretch but never could reach them. Regalo ($33.60), trained by Brittany Russell for Goodfellas, raced for the first time since February and rebounded from two poor stakes showings in Maryland following an encouraging first-level allowance victory last December. Regalo, ridden by Sheldon Russell, made his first start as a gelding, clocking 1:33.71 over a very fast track. Regalo is by Maximus Mischief out of Perfect Bourbon, by Majesticperfection, and was bred in Kentucky by Sean Curtin. Carmelina ($4.80) took a 1 1/2-length lead to the stretch call in the seven-furlong, $102,000 Penny Chenery for 3-year-old fillies but held on by just a neck over the Russell-trained Cap Classique, the top two several lengths in front of third-place Dazzling Move. Mychel Sanchez rode the winner for trainer Butch Reid and co-owners Cash is King and L C Racing, Carmelina posting a time of 1:21.09. Carmelina is by Maximus Mischief out of Complete St., by St Averil, and was bred in Pennsylvania by Lillith Boucher. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.