by Brandon Valvo, for the SOA of NY

Yonkers, NY — Anette Lorentzon once thought Chasin’ Dreams wouldn’t make it as a racehorse, but the trotting gelding proved his trainer wrong. He not only made the races but will have a chance to earn his first stakes victory in New York Sire Stakes action at Yonkers Raceway Friday (July 27).

Lorentzon purchased Chasin’ Dreams as hip number 1259 out of the 2017 Standardbred Mixed Sale for $35,000. At that point, the 2-year-old had two third-place finishes in five starts with earnings of $6,660 for Ray Schnittker. Lorentzon liked the trotter’s lightly raced record and his pedigree. Out of Bold Dreamer, Chasin’ Dreams is a half-sibling to two O’Brien Award winners — world champion and millionaire Pampered Princess and Was It A Dream. He’s also a half-brother to the dam of To Dream On, Satin Pillows.

“I liked the pedigree on him and I liked the way he looked,” Lorentzon said. “I actually liked that he was shut down early because then he wasn’t raced too hard and he would have plenty of time to race the next year. I liked that.”

Despite his royal pedigree, Chasin’ Dreams proved disappointing early in his training. Unable to build muscle and poorly gaited, Lorentzon began to lose hope in the son of Credit Winner.

“We had a lot of issues with him. I didn’t even know if we would get him to be a racehorse,” Lorentzon said. “He had a lot of trouble keeping his gait together and I couldn’t get enough strength into him. From the beginning, I was concerned that he wouldn’t even be a racehorse. He didn’t train good, he didn’t trot very good and I couldn’t get any strength in him, that was the main thing.”

Although Lorentzon didn’t turn to the vet to help rectify Chasin’ Dreams’ issues, she did turn to the chiropractor. The treatments paid off and soon, Chasin’ Dreams began to make progress.

Chasin’ Dreams completed his first qualifier for Lorentzon May 16 at Hoosier Park. Although he finished third, beaten 22 lengths, he trotted the mile in 2:01.1 with Elliott Deaton in the sulky. The trial was enough to convince Lorentzon that Chasin’ Dreams wanted to be a racehorse after all.

“When we qualified him, Elliott said that he really liked him and he qualified in a really good way. That’s when I thought we had a decent horse,” the trainer said.

Chasin’ Dreams made his first start of the season in a $12,000 maiden at Harrah’s Philadelphia May 28. He posted a 1-3/4 length victory in 1:58.4. He followed that win with a victory at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono June 11 before taking a Yonkers overnight June 21. Chasin’ Dreams improved his seasonal record to 4-for-4 when he returned to Harrah’s a three-length winner in 1:55.1 July 4.

“He’s been really good so far,” Lorentzon said. “I never really race them hard from the beginning. You never know how it’s going to play out, but he wants to be a racehorse. He proved that on the racetrack now. He can leave the gate and he can come home good and I like that.”

Chasin’ Dreams earned a try in New York Sire Stakes at Monticello July 16. With Jason Bartlett in the sulky, Chasin’ Dreams rode a pocket trip in the $39,200 division. Although he tried to catch the leader in the passing lane late, the going wasn’t to the 3-year-old’s liking and he finished third, beaten a half-length in 1:57.2. The effort increased the gelding’s earnings to $36,864.

“I was very happy with him at Monticello when he finished third,” Lorentzon said. “He could have been second, but the passing lane was really deep, that’s why he couldn’t get up. Third in a Sire Stakes, I was very happy with that.”

Chasin’ Dreams will get another chance to earn his first stakes victory Friday night at Yonkers Raceway when he starts from post one in an $86,750 division of the Dick McGuire Trot. Paired again with Jason Bartlett, he is 7-2 on the morning line.

His rivals include Helpisontheway, the 9-5 morning line choice from post three off a 1:53.2 score in the Tompkins-Geers at The Meadowlands July 21. Winning Shadow drew post two and is 5-1 off a Sire Stakes win at Monticello July 16. Purpose Blue Chip also enters off a stakes win at Monticello, but drew post eight and is 6-1. Cascada, Tito, Cruising In Style, and Clive Bigsby complete the field.

“I leave all that up to Jason, but I hope we sit close,” Lorentzon said. “We shouldn’t get away too far back. I just hope that he races good and if we can be top three, it’s good money there. That’s what I’m hoping for.”

Friday’s co-feature is a second $86,750 division of the Sire Stakes and Yonkers also has a $44,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace. First post time is 6:50 p.m. For entries to the races, click here.