Fun to Dream romps in Fleet Treat Stakes
DEL MAR, Calif. – The dream continues.
Fun to Dream, the miracle horse co-owned and co-bred by Connie Pageler, romped to a 9 3/4-length victory Thursday at Del Mar in the $175,000 Fleet Treat Stakes for California-bred 3-year-old fillies, continuing the improbable, gratifying story that began with her inexpensive dam, Lutess.
“It’s a lot of fun to dream,” Pageler, surrounded by family, including four grandkids, and her racing manager, Bob Baedeker, said in the winner’s circle. “This was a Mike thing, not a Connie thing.”
Michael Pageler was Connie’s husband. He died of lung cancer in November 2018, but not before his trainer, Bob Baffert, used a breeding share he owned in Arrogate to mate him to the Pagelers’s mare, Lutess, a Maria’s Mon mare the Pagelers had owned, lost, claimed back for $8,000, retired, and bred.
Lutess produced the stakes winner Heck Yeah, also trained by Baffert. Baffert, impressed with the way Heck Yeah, by Acclamation, was built, wondered what kind of horse Lutess would throw if bred to a higher-quality stallion, hence the mating with Arrogate in the spring of 2018.
:: DRF's Del Mar headquarters – Stakes schedule, previews, recaps, past performances, and more
The result, in February 2019, was Fun to Dream, now owned by Connie Pageler and Baffert’s wife, Jill.
Fun to Dream made her debut at Santa Anita in May, when Baffert was sitting out a suspension. Trained then by Sean McCarthy, she easily beat maidens as the odds-on favorite. The Fleet Treat was her second start and was more impressive.
Fun to Dream ($4.20), again ridden by Juan Hernandez, took command with a powerhouse move on the far turn and drew away to a lopsided victory, stopping the timer in 1:22.67 for seven furlongs on the fast main track.
Rose Dawson was second, 2 1/2 lengths in front of Connie Swingle. Tam’s Little Angel was fourth, then came, in order, Opening Buzz and Gianna’s Wild Cat. Ellamira and Everly’s Girl were scratched, leaving a field of six.
Fun to Dream earned $99,750 for the win.
“She looks like Arrogate. She moves like Arrogate,” Baffert said. “This is our California Chrome. A Cal-bred. Having a horse like this is what keeps us going.”
– additional reporting by Brad Free