Nicole's Dream's future uncertain
CHICAGO - Her trip to Hong Kong ended with a whimper, and Nicole's Dream has returned home to the States, but exactly what lies in her future is uncertain.
Nicole's Dream, one of the better turf sprinters in the Midwest the past two seasons, finished 12th and last in the Hong Kong Sprint on Dec. 11. Her trainer, Larry Rivelli, said Nicole's Dream had shipped well enough, but was done in by Hong Kong's zero-tolerance policy on race-day medication. A regular Lasix user, Nicole's Dream raced without the anti-bleeder medication, and bled in the race.
"She shipped good, she handled everything," Rivelli said. "She was in front for a half-mile, and [jockey E.T. Baird] said she just went limp, and he said she'd never done that before."
Nicole's Dream, property of a Dare to Dream Stable partnership, has been turned out in Florida, her typical winter regimen. Rivelli said she's been invited to a lucrative series of turf-sprint races in Australia, where medication would be allowed, but that all options - including a trip to the breeding shed or a possible sale - are on the table for Nicole's Dream.
Creative Force in Florida for R&R
Creative Force, winner of the Jim Edgar Futurity here last weekend and a candidate for champion Illinois-bred 2-year-old male, arrived at his winter quarters near Ocala, Fla., yesterday after traveling by van from Hawthorne. Trainer Chris Block is in no rush to get Creative Force back to the races.
While Creative Force has won two straight starts on dirt, Block believes that his future in the long-term is on grass. Moreover, Creative Force is a big, strong colt who Block believes still doesn't really know what he's doing when he races. And if Creative Force might be more of a force at age 3 and 4, Block sees no reason to hurry into another race.
"If he's breaking down the stall, then we can look for something," Block said. "Otherwise, we'll just take our time with him."
Injustice also Florida-bound
Injustice, a sharp winner of the Dream Supreme Stakes in her last start on Nov. 26 at Churchill, breezed an easy five furlongs Wednesday at Hawthorne, and leaves Thursday for Florida, trainer Wayne Catalano said. Injustice is being pointed for the Chaposa Springs Handicap on Dec. 31 at Calder, and could ship to California for another race in January.
"That was just to put a little air in her lungs before we go down tomorrow," Catalano said of the work. "She came by me looking like a million bucks."
Injustice is one of several Catalano-trained horses shipping Thursday to Florida. Catalano said after that load leaves, he'll have about 12 horses left at Hawthorne, where he sits atop the trainer standings.
* Hawthorne's Friday feature, race 8, is a for entry-level Illinois-bred allowance horses at 1 1/16 miles. The race drew 11, and will challenge even the sharpest of handicappers.