Key scratch aids Dream Tree in Prioress

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Dream matchup in Sunday’s Grade 2 Prioress Stakes at Saratoga is off.

Dream Pauline, who won her first two starts impressively, was scratched out of the $250,000 Prioress for 3-year-old fillies after spiking a temperature Saturday night, according to trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.

“Very unlucky timing. Don’t know for sure where we go from here, want to get through this first,” McLaughlin said. “Not many straight 3-year-old [sprint] races left.”

Dream Pauline was scheduled to face off against Dream Tree, a daughter of Uncle Mo who is 4 for 4, having won races from six furlongs to 1 1/16 miles. Trainer Bob Baffert was not enamored with the way the filly trained following her Feb. 4 victory in the Grade 2 Las Virgenes at Santa Anita, and he opted to stop on the filly.

Baffert thought about the Grade 1 Test earlier this meet but didn’t have her quite ready by then.

“It’s a tough race,” said Baffert, who twice won the Prioress when it was a Grade 1 and run at Belmont Park. “I think she’s a really nice filly, and she can probably use a race, but it will set her up for something down the road.”

Also scratched out of the Prioress was Bronx Beauty, a 15-1 shot who had drawn the rail. The Prioress field is now reduced to eight. It goes as race 10 on a 12-race card that begins at 12:30 p.m. Eastern.

Mia Mischief and Classy Act have gone at each other on the front end in both the Victory Ride at Belmont and the Test here. Classy Act survived the duel to get beat a neck in the Victory Ride. Mia Mischief survived the battle to finish second in the Test.

Moonshine Memories, who won her first three starts, including two Grade 1 races last year, is another who brings speed to the Prioress. She is coming off an allowance win going 6 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar.

“I kind of like the cutback to six furlongs. I think it’s going to be a really good distance for her,” trainer Simon Callaghan said. “She’s trained really well between that allowance win and goes there with a good shot in what looks like a wide-open field.”

Cathedral Reader, Sower, Win the War and Purrfect Miss complete the lineup.

KEY CONTENDERS

Dream Tree, by Uncle Mo
Last 3 Beyers: 83-81-86

• Been firing bullet works at Del Mar for her return for Baffert, who rarely doesn’t have his horses ready to fire fresh.

• Mike Smith, who won two Grade 1s for Baffert last weekend, is in for the ride.

Moonshine Memories, by Malibu Moon
Last 3 Beyers: 87-81-80

• Has shown the ability to stalk, a style she may have to employ here.

Mia Mischief, by Into Mischief
Last 3 Beyers: 92-82-97

• Speedy sort cuts back from a game second-place finish in the Test at seven furlongs to six furlongs, a distance at which she has two stakes wins and two narrow stakes losses.