'Dream On' tough, if it's on turf

MIAMI - Dream On Dream On struggled to win his maiden over the main track as a 2-year-old. But once switched permanently to the grass as a 3-year-old by trainer Bill Kaplan, Dream On Dream On improved dramatically.

Only Mother Nature might stand in the way of Dream On Dream On continuing his winning ways in Saturday's $40,000 Lord Juban Stakes. The Lord Juban is carded at 1 1/16 miles on grass, though after nearly two weeks of daily downpours in the Miami area and little relief in sight, whether the race is run on grass or dirt might not be determined until just before post time.

was winless in seven starts at 2 but has won 3 of his 4 starts this year, including the Simply Majestic Stakes on May 28. He has become even more effective and has flashed better speed since Kaplan added blinkers to his equipment. He has a pair of wins at Calder this year, both in wire-to-wire fashion.

Dream On Dream On shares high weight of 118 pounds with Turk's Ransom in the field of eight 3-year-olds.

is the only other stakes winner in the field. He rallied to win the Arthur Appleton Juvenile Turf Stakes in his 2-year-old finale but has failed to duplicate that form in five starts at 3. He finished sixth, 9 1/2 lengths behind Dream On Dream On, in the Simply Majestic and was also a distant third in an allowance race that was taken off the turf and moved to a sloppy main track earlier this month.

, like Dream On Dream On, has won 3 of his last 4 starts, but appears to be more versatile, having won twice on dirt and once on turf. Owned by Lucille Stephens, wife of the late Hall of Fame trainer Woody Stephens, Man Made will be making his stakes debut in the Lord Juban. He is trained by Eddie Plesa Jr.

Completing the lineup are Captain Lindsay, Richie the Kid, Tap N Jazz, Talented Prince, Scalator, and Sir Jackie. Sir Jackie is on the also-eligible list and will likely start only if the race comes off the turf.

* Nominations for six of the eight stakes races on the $1.9 million Summit of Speed on July 9 close Saturday. Prominent among the expected nominees are Madcap Escapade for the $500,000 Princess Rooney Handicap and Lost in the Fog for the $300,000 Carry Back Stakes.