La Brea’s Top Two Campaigns Starts 2023 in Santa Monica

Happy dream and Waking up at Midnyte separated by three quarters of the length when 1-2 on December 26 La Breakes (G1) at Santa Anita . Parkface off as 4-year-olds against four other competitors in the $200,000 Santa Monica Stakes (G2) tournament on February 4.

Santa Monica, like La Brea, is a seven-mile sprint on Santa Anita’s main track. The race differs from La Brea in that it is open to girls aged 4 and up, while La Brea is only open to girls aged 3 in 2022.

Five of the six competitors are 4-year-olds, except for the 6-year-olds of Kirk and Judy Robison Samurai Charms a three times bet winner.

Although Fun to Dream outplayed Awake At Midnyte in their final game — giving an earlier attempt to gain control over the period and retaining the latter’s determined stretch charge — both seem to be equal. When they met in an optional claimant on September 4 at Del Mar, Awake At Midnyte led Fun to Dream by 3 1/4 to the finish line. (Fun to Dream was disqualified and demoted from second to eighth by the managers for clashing early in that race.)

Bob Baffert trains Fun to Dream, whom he bred with Connie Pagler in California. Pagler owns gray color Superior dirty with Baffert’s wife, Jill. Fun to Dream leads the field with $426,590 in earnings, winning five out of six starts. She is the second bet winner for her dam who also produces damned (Welcome ), one earns more than $397,000.

Fun to Dream is a seven-eighth mile three-to-three race and features lead driver Juan Hernandez. The favorite can hit 124 pounds, spotting her five opponents between two and four pounds each. She beat Awake At Midnyte in La Brea when each carried 120.

Reddam Racing’s Awake At Midnyte lacks Fun to Dream’s winning record, which went 2-4-1 in 10 games that started with a $329,675 bankroll, but started with eight graded bets, which contains three level 1 bets.

Besides La Brea 2022, she has placed Jimmy Durante Stakes (G3T) in 2nd place in 2021 and last year in Santa Ynez Stakes (G2), Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2) and Zenyatta Stakes (G2) for coaching. Coach Doug O’Neill. She has yet to score a graded stake win.

Mario Gutierrez, jockey throughout her career, returns.

Awake At Midnyte is the daughter of Nyquist who won the 2016 Kentucky Derby (G1) thanks to these connections.

The field also includes trained John Shirreffs Miss T. , who captured Las Flores Stakes (G3) on December 31 at Santa Anita, crossing six feathers at the hands of jockey Victor Espinosa. Disappointing in that race with a score of 6-5 was Samurai Charm, who placed fourth. The latter score is 0-0-1 in four games starting at Santa Anita compared to 7-2-1 in 10 games starting elsewhere. Flavien Prat rides for coach Peter Miller.

School completed by AnacapSaturday in La Brea, and quickly return Angel Nadeshiko , Wednesday January 15 La Canada (G3). Both have speeds close to the originally planned slow, as well as Fun to Dream and Samurai Charm.