Dream Tree looks perfect for spring

ARCADIA, Calif. - Dream Tree will start the spring with a perfect record and a growing reputation in the 3-year-old filly division.

Dream Tree won her 3-year-old debut in the Grade 2 Las Virgenes Stakes at a mile Sunday at Santa Anita. Sent off at 3-10, Dream Tree had a perfect trip before pulling clear to win by 3 3/4 lengths for her third stakes win.

Last fall, she won the minor Desi Arnaz Stakes at seven furlongs at Del Mar in November and the Grade 1 Starlet Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Los Alamitos in December.

Trained by Bob Baffert for the Phoenix Thoroughbreds partnership, Dream Tree is likely to have her next start in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks, a $400,000 race at 1 1/16 miles on April 7. Baffert is enthusiastic about her chances in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 4.

“She’s getting better mentally,” he said in the winner’s circle. “I thought she might be a little short today. She’s all class.”

Dream Tree was purchased for $750,000 as a 2-year-old in-training last March by Phoenix, which has risen in prominence in the last year as a major buyer at auctions. Phoenix also owns the 3-year-old colt Mourinho, who won the Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn Park on Jan. 15 for Baffert.

Dream Tree is by far Phoenix’s leading filly. The partnership is based in Dubai and headed by chief executive Amer Abdulaziz, who attended Sunday’s race.

“Having a good filly makes you feel good,” Abdulaziz said.

In the winner’s circle, Abdulaziz said Phoenix is structured as a $250 million equine investment fund with broodmares, weanlings, and racing and breeding stock. He said the partnership plans to invest in stallions.

Abdulaziz described Phoenix’s investors as pension funds and high-worth individuals, but did not go into detail.

“Racing is a small part,” he said. “We have investors from different parts of the world.”