Dreams and Schemes stretches out in search of elusive win

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Dreams and Schemes has tried nearly every scenario possible to try to earn her diploma, and perhaps the stretch-out to 1 1/16 miles against a modest group of fillies and mares in Thursday’s fifth race at Woodbine will get her the money.

A 4-year-old trained by Catherine Day Phillips, Dream and Schemes wound up third second time out at 2. She earned her keep last year while competing predominantly against $25,000 maidens.

Dreams and Schemes ran second in back-to-back seven-furlong races on different surfaces in October, earning a 60 Beyer Speed Figure both times. When boosted up to open maiden special weight company in another seven-furlong sprint on Dec. 10, she finished a distant third after a wide trip.

Dreams and Schemes has raced twice at Thursday’s Ontario-sired/$40,000 maiden level this spring, ending up fourth on the Tapeta and third on the inner turf. The daughter of Silent Name is out of Bear’s Gem, a stakes-winning sprinter who placed in two route stakes, the Victoriana and Algoma. Grade 3 Marine winner Rondure is under her second dam, who’s a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Van Lear Rose, a Canadian champion trained by Day Phillips.

Jose Campos retains the mount on Dreams and Schemes, who drew post 3 in the six-horse field.

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Great Kate has worked okay in preparation for her 3-year-old debut. She started twice in the fall, finishing a wide-closing fourth going six furlongs at first asking before a wide sixth in a two-turn maiden special that contained two next-out winners Dec. 10.

Ryan Munger picks up the mount on Great Kate and is 1 for 4 for her trainer, John Mattine, who has had a terrific start to the meet.

The 58 Beyer earned by Speedy Johny when third in her May 13 debut going five furlongs is just shy of the 59 posted by Dreams and Schemes in her last race. Speedy Johny took the long way home over a rail-biased track most recently, when not beaten far in eighth on the stretch-out to seven furlongs.

Rafael Hernandez will ride Speedy Johny for trainer Paul Buttigieg. The daughter of Souper Speedy has a blend of speed and miler-type stamina in her pedigree.

Miss Waterloo bombed as the favorite in her lone 2-year-old appearance. She came close to leading all the way in her seven-furlong season opener, finishing second with the aid of an inside bias. The daughter of Reload is a half-sister to the stakes-winning sprinter Rockcrest and will no doubt try to wire this field under Luis Contreras.

Liam’s Awesome is dropping from the maiden-special ranks to compete with a $40,000 tag. She’s been in a tailspin since ending up second behind the future stakes winner Ticker Tape Home in her second 2-year-old outing in October.

Rounding out the field is Sandy Grace, who’s moving up in class off a poor performance against $25,000 maidens.

Post time for the seven-race card is 4:50 p.m.

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