Harness: 14-year-old equine nomad owns a nine-race claiming streak

Dream Out Loud N is a harness racing anomaly in many ways. He's a Down Under import that has earned over $1 million in his career racing almost exclusively outside the realm of stakes. The gelding also owns the odd distinction of being claimed nine straight starts as a 14-year-old.

While 14-year-olds do get claimed despite the fact that they must retire on their 15th birthday on January 1 of the following year, seeing any horse claimed nine straight times is somewhat rare. So what is so special about Dream Out Loud N?

"He's just the best $10,000 claimer out there," said trainer Brandon Presto, who has had the horse in his barn twice in 2021. "He's the size of a tank. He has some old injuries but he tries hard and overcomes them. When I've had him, he's been the soundest horse in my barn."

Presto was the most recent trainer to send Dream Out Loud N to the track and the aged wonder delivered with a wire-to-wire 1:52 3/5 victory on April 8 at The Meadows. It was the horse's second win for Presto in two starts as three starts back on March 25 he won in 1:52 over the same surface.

The above victories were sandwiched by another win, this time for trainer Marcus Marashian in 1:53 1/5.

"He tries really hard and he's really easy to get along with," said Marashian, who has had Dream Out Loud N in his barn three times this year.

"He leaves the gate well and is hard to beat when they leave him alone on the lead. He's just an old classy racehorse" said trainer Scott Davidson, who claimed Dream Out Loud N from his most recent start for owner Ameer Najor. This will be the fourth time in Davidson's stable since December.

Dream Out Loud N is a 56-time career winner (including international wins) and has won $982,952 of his earnings since being brought to the U.S. by the late owner Joe Muscara in 2013. Other than a pair of third-place finishes in the 2016 Levy series at Yonkers Raceway, the son of Bettor's Delight made all of his money racing in overnight races. Dream Out Loud N fell into the claiming ranks in 2019 at the $25,000 level and only dropped to the current $10,000 claiming condition in November 2020.

Through his nine-race claiming streak, Dream Out Loud N has won six times, all with another harness racing veteran Dave Palone in the bike. In addition to Presto, Marashian and Davidson, the 14-year-old has visited the barns of Brady Jenson and Mark Goldberg during the run of claims that began on February 5.

Often such a long string of claiming occurs because owners and trainers have decided to keep a horse entered in a lower claiming price in order to have a better chance at winning races. With Dream Out Loud N, age was a factor in not moving him up in class, but not because the thought of trying the $12,500 claiming level hadn't entered the minds of his connections.

"If they wouldn't have claimed him last time, because of how easily he won, I probably would've bumped him up. I think he can beat the $12,500 claimers," said Presto.

Davidson wasn't sure when contacted a week out whether he'd enter Dream Out Loud N in a higher class when racing resumed at The Meadows on April 21, but he was happy about the break in action at the Pennsylvania track as it relates to the horse.

"I'm just going to give him a break because he's been racing so hard. He hasn't had a break in six weeks," said Davidson, who added that he believes horses that get claimed should be forced to race in higher classes. "They should make these horses move up like they used to. There used to be a rule that if you claimed a horse you had to move it up for 12 days or two starts, but they did away with that in Pennsylvania. That keeps the same horses floating around the same class. It becomes like a rent-a-horse and some people don't take care of the horses because they know they will get claimed next week."

While retirement looms a bit more than eight months from now for Dream Out Loud N, none of the trainers were even the least bit concerned and felt if the horse kept his form he could be claimed many more times through even November.

"I'm not worried. He seems to be in good health, good shape and good form," said Marashian, who added that he would "without a doubt" claim the horse back if entered for $10,000 again.

"I'll put another claim in on him when we get back racing if he's back in for $10,000," said Presto, who admitted that at some point the good run will end and the reality of retirement will set in. "To be honest, whoever gets the last straw, hopefully they make their money back and retire him properly."

Finding a home for 14-year-olds is always a major concern and Davidson was one who was hopeful that the millionaire is treated with the proper respect when that moment arrives.

"I don't have a lot of money, but if something happens that he is done racing, I hope he finds a nice home because he is a really good horse. As long as I have him, he won't end up in a bad spot, but sometimes that does happen and I'd hate to see that happen to him. I'll keep track of him," said Davidson.

[EDITOR'S NOTE: The following portion was updated from the original text after Dream Out Loud N was entered to race.]

For Dream Out Loud N, the racing journey continues on Thursday, April 22 at The Meadows when he's entered for the lower tag in a $12,500/$15,000 claiming handicap (race 5). Tony Hall will drive this week from post 6 and the pair have been installed as the 2-1 morning-line choice.

While the claiming streak may end at nine due to the higher claiming price, one guarantee is that Dream Out Loud N will give his all.