Campbellville, ON — Crys Dream made a backstretch brush in the C$466,000 Peaceful Way Stakes for 2-year-old trotting fillies and cruised to the biggest victory yet in her young career Saturday night at Mohawk Racetrack.

Lady Rainbow (Rick Zeron) and As Yall Like It (Paul MacDonell) made early breaks before the wings of the gate folded and Musclemad (Yves Gauthier) shot to the lead from Post 6. Oh Sweet Baby (Mario Baillargeon) got away well leaving from the outside Post 10 and was on the move early rolling up to take over at the :28.3 first quarter.

Luc Ouellette sent 4-5 favourite Crys Dream, who was positioned third, to the top down the backstretch and she hit the half in :59. Martiniontherocks (Sylvain Filion) advanced first over and applied mild pressure past three-quarters in 1:29 but Crys Dream was untouchable. She cruised home in :28.2, holding off a late-charging Intense America (Tim Tetrick) by three-quarters of a length in 1:57.2. Lady Rainbow recovered from her early miscue to show.

“She is really push button, she makes my job really easy,” said Ouellette in the winner’s circle. “She’s not that easy during the week the guys tell me; she’s got a lot of character to her. But on the racetrack she’s very professional.

“We weren’t going that [fast] in the middle half,” he continued. “I was just keeping my mare awake and she felt really good. Late in the stretch I heard Timmy [Tetrick with Intense America] coming on the outside so I urged her on because she was a little sleepy. She hadn’t really got started yet, but she picked up the bit and went on.

“At that point [entering the stretch], she had things her way. She’s a good strong horse.”

Crys Dream paid $3.70 to win for the fourth consecutive time. The homebred daughter of Taurus Dream-Crystas Image, a half-sister to Breeders Crown winner Brigham Dream ($639,981), is trained by Henrik Hollsten and owned by Reve Avec Moi Dreamwithme of Knowlton, QC. She is now five-for-six in her career with prior wins in the In Free Trotting Series and Champlain Stakes.

When asked what’s left on her stakes schedule, Ouellette said, “There’s not a whole lot for her this year, which could be a blessing in disguise because she’ll be fresh and there’s plenty for her to go on to for the rest of her career.”

Courtesy Standardbred Canada