Stakes duelers get a rematch

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Dream About and Silver Bird, who dueled each other into submission on the front end in the 1 1/16-mile Princess Elizabeth Stakes, will clash again at seven furlongs in Sunday's $136,875 Glorious Song Stakes at Woodbine.

Dream About was the leader of the local 2-year-old filly division after her decisive triumph Sept. 20 in the Grade 2 Mazarine Breeders' Cup Stakes. But she could manage only a distant fourth-place finish in the Oct. 12 Princess Elizabeth, which was won by My Vintage Port in a slow final time of 1:48.80.

Trainer Josie Carroll, who captured the last two runnings of the Glorious Song with Buffalo Jump and Boston Twist, said Dream About simply failed to run to her ability level in the Princess Elizabeth.

"I don't believe she ran her race," Carroll said. "Going strictly off Beyer numbers, you only needed a 60 to win that race, and she had run an 86 the time before. I'm just going to throw it out and kick on. I haven't done a lot with her since, but she's doing great. She blew out half a mile [Wednesday]."

Silver Bird came from off the pace to take a 6 1/2-furlong allowance by a widening six lengths Sept. 26. Trainer Reade Baker said he wanted her to show speed in the Princess Elizabeth, to make sure that Dream About didn't get an easy lead.

"We weren't going to back off of [Dream About], let her go three-quarters in 1:14 and change, and then try to run her down," Baker said. Silver Bird finished second, beaten nearly four lengths.

Baker said he believes that Silver Bird could have a bright future sprinting. "I think she's going to be a real nice one-turn horse," he said.

Completing the speed-laden Glorious Song lineup are Blonde Executive, Sweet Problem, Slightlymorelikely, Brush With Destiny, and Duet.

Blonde Executive posted three consecutive front-running victories heading into the Oct. 26 Fanfreluche Stakes, in which she broke slowly and was all out to hold third after stalking the pace along the inside. Radlie Loney trains her.

Slightlymorelikely has been on hiatus since she romped home on top by nearly seven lengths in the Aug. 10 Ontario Debutante Stakes. She has worked extensively throughout the fall for trainer Norm McKnight, who claimed her for $50,000 from her second start.

Sweet Problem, a $50,000 claim by trainer Lorne Richards, beat Fanfreluche winner Ontheqt when she won an Oct. 10 allowance by four lengths.