Meadowlands: M-M's Dream defends Dr. John R. Steele Memorial title again
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Though she had captured the last two editions of the Dr. John R. Steele Memorial at the Meadowlands, M M's Dream was sent off as a 27-1 longshot in the Grade 2 $181,000 contest on Saturday afternoon and upset a solid field for Yannick Gingras in a stakes-record equaling 1:49 4/5 mile.
Call Me Goo and Drawn Impression blasted out of the gate, with M-M's Dream yielding the front into the first turn to Drawn Impression. Call Me Goo pressed on past Drawn Impression to the top, though and set a sizzling 26 2/5 opening fraction. From there, Tim Tetrick had Call Me Goo, one of four entrants from the Ake Svanstedt stable, marching along on a clear lead to the half in 54 3/5.
Bravo Angel S and Jason Bartlett tried to mount an offensive past the half, coming up without cover but still at a distance from the leader. Elista Hanover grabbed that cover but neither was close to Call Me Goo through the final turn. When pocket-sitter Drawn Impression lost her gait for driver Louis Roy on the final turn, she came off the pylons and impeded Bravo Angel S, forcing that one off-stride. That opening was all that Gingras and M-M's Dream, a Ron Burke-trained daughter of Swan For All, needed as she rallied between horses following the 1:22 3/5 three-quarters.
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In the stretch Call Me Goo was under a hard drive to hold command, but M-M's Dream was too strong and went by for Gingras. Warrawee Michelle, last year's Hambletonian Oaks champion, found room between horses and rallied for second with Call Me Good settling for third.
Owned by Hillside Stables and Frank Baldachino, M-M's Dream won for just the second time in eight starts this year, with the time her fastest of now 34 career victories. M-M's Dream returned $57.60 to win.
"When a couple of horses broke at the head of the stretch, she got a clear path and took off," said Baldachino. "This was the race we've been pointing to all year because it would give us a chance to take her shoes off."