Woodbine: Phil's Dream by a neck in Overskate Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Phil’s Dream ($9.70) barely held off the charging favorite, Ultimate Destiny, to capture the $125,000 Overskate Stakes at Woodbine on Sunday.

With Justin Stein up, Phil’s Dream vied up front along the inside through slow splits in the seven-furlong sprint for Ontario-sired runners. He opened up on the field early in the stretch and then saw his lead dwindle before prevailing by a neck in a quick 1:21.31. After helping to set the pace, Pender Harbour weakened to finish third in the eight-horse field.

“He had to run hard down the lane,” Stein said of Phil’s Dream. “I knew [Ultimate Destiny] would be coming at us. That horse was shortening up, and I figured that would take his game away a little bit. I tried to get the jump on him in the lane, and the wire came at the right time.”

Phil’s Dream banked $75,000 for his first stakes triumph for Paul Buttigieg, his owner, trainer, and breeder.