Fun to Dream, Awake At Midnyte continue rivalry in Santa Monica

ARCADIA, Calif. – Before she stretches out for a two-turn Grade 1 next month, Fun to Dream will reach for a final one-turn objective – winning the rubber match with Awake At Midnyte.

Fun to Dream and Awake At Midnyte, one-two in the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes on Dec. 26, meet for the third time Saturday at Santa Anita as the leading contenders in the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes.

Six fillies and mares entered the $200,000 seven-furlong stakes, race 9. The Santa Monica field includes recent Grade 3 winner Lady T, multiple stakes winner Samurai Charm, and allowance winners Anacapa and Angel Nadeshiko.

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Awake At Midnyte is the only horse to finish in front of Fun to Dream, but things have changed since their first meeting in September at Del Mar. Fun to Dream was making her third start, and her inexperience showed. She drifted inward leaving the gate, caused interference, finished second to Awake At Midnyte, and was disqualified to ninth.

Fun to Dream subsequently removed blinkers and reeled off three straight victories. She won an allowance route at Santa Anita, a California-bred sprint stakes at Del Mar, and scored her first graded stakes win by defeating Awake At Midnyte by three-quarters of a length in the La Brea.

Owned by co-breeder Connie Pageler and Jill Baffert, 5-for-6 Fun to Dream is trained by co-breeder Bob Baffert. But she is no cinch from post 2 on Saturday. When she won the La Brea, Fun to Dream pressed three wide in the clear. Saturday in the Santa Monica, she could be on the receiving end of pace pressure.

“She’s down inside,” Baffert cautioned. “I love when she’s outside. But she’s doing well, and we’ll see if she can do it again.”

Juan Hernandez rides Fun to Dream, whose speed is probably sufficient to establish position. However, a mare in post 3 looms a potential thorn in her side. Samurai Charm has 22-and-change, 44-and-change speed. If she engages Fun to Dream, the race could set up for late-runner Awake At Midnyte.

Fun to Dream will likely benefit from an easier pace in her next start, around two turns. Baffert will point the Arrogate filly to the Grade 1 Beholder Mile on March 11. That route would not be out of the question for her nemesis, but Awake At Midnyte is more effective as closing sprinter.

Doug O’Neill trains Awake At Midnyte for owner J. Paul Reddam. The filly’s runner-up finish in the La Brea supports the idea she prefers one turn. Awake At Midnyte has two wins and two seconds from five sprints. Her five routes, many against superior company, produced just two seconds. Awake At Midnyte, by Nyquist, will be ridden by her regular jockey Mario Gutierrez.

Lady T skipped the La Brea for 3-year-old fillies of 2022 and ran five days later against older fillies and mares in the Grade 3 Las Flores. She won going away under Victor Espinoza. Lady T is owned by Jerry and Tina Moss; she is trained by John Shirreffs.

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