from the USTA Communications Department

Lexington, KY — Marvin Katz, Al Libfeld and Sam Goldband’s To Dream On tipped three wide off cover down the lane and won the $205,100 second heat final of the Kentucky Filly Futurity in 1:52.1 on Sunday (Oct. 6) at The Red Mile.

Trainer Jimmy Takter was in the bike as the daughter of Credit Winner-Satin Pillows won for just the second time in 13 season’s starts and the 1:52.1 clocking was a lifetime best.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

To Dream On was a 1:52.1 winner in the Kentucky Filly Futurity.

After finishing fifth in the $87,900 opening heat, To Dream On ($28.00) was sent off at odds of 13-1 in the second heat and got away slowly as Shared Past (Yannick Gingras) left quickly from the outside post and cut fractions of :26.4, :54.2 and 1:23.

To Dream On made a move to the outside on the backstretch and was second over behind the cover of first heat winner Ma Chere Hall (Corey Callahan) heading to the half-mile marker and then into the final turn.

As the field fanned out for home, Shared Past was dead game, but Ma Chere Hall began to wear her down and took over the lead; however, neither filly could hold off To Dream On, who came on in deep stetch to grab the victory by 2-1/4 lengths in what co-owner Marvin Katz said would be her final career start.

Ma Chere Hall finished second and Shared Past was third.

“She can be a little grabby like she was in the first heat,” said Takter, “so I stayed on the outside and as long as she didn’t get excited too much I was then able to get good cover from Corey.

“I was waiting and waiting and waiting because she had been having so many problems this year. This win was very sweet for us because I know she’s just a super horse that disappointed us so much this year; she didn’t come back the way we were hoping for.”

To Dream On was the Dan Patch Award winner as the sport’s top 2-year-old trotting filly in 2012 after she won eight of her nine trips to the post, including the Breeders Crown. But prior to this victory, her only win in 2013 was in the Reynolds Memorial at Meadowlands Racetrack.

“She was running into a lot of issues (this year),” added Takter. “It had been one long road with her. Thank God I have very good owners. I understand this is not just a straight forward game and we are dealing with animals. Things don’t always work out.”

In the $87,900 opening heat, Ma Chere Hall ($12.80) rallied in the lane to post a half-length victory over Classic Martine in a time of 1:52.4 over a track rated ‘good.’ Owned by Walnut Hall Limited, Aldebaran Park and Joe Sbrocco, the Jonas Czernyson trainee won her fifth straight and seventh in 11 season’s starts. The daughter of Deweycheatumnhowe-Margarita Hall was driven to victory by Corey Callahan.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Ma Chere Hall held off Classic Martine to win the first heat.

Ma Chere Hall got away third from post position seven, then brushed to the front past the opening quarter of :28.1 and was on the point at the half-mile marker in :56.1.

Frau Blucher (Ron Pierce) made a big first over move from fourth heading to the half-mile marker and they were the new leaders on the backstretch and into the final turn as the field passed the three-quarter pole in 1:24.

But heading for home, Ma Chere Hall popped out of the pocket and reclaimed the lead, then held off a fast closing Classic Martine (Tim Tetrick) for the half-length victory. Mistery Woman (David Miller) was third, Frau Blucher faded to fourth and To Dream On was fifth.

“She’s been really good,” said driver Corey Callahan. “I was able to get to the lead there and get some sensible fractions. Ronnie (with Frau Blucher) came at me hard and I just turned him loose and figured I would save her as much as I could for the second race.

“I popped her out there (in the lane) and she held off Timmy’s filly (Classic Martine). Ma Chere (Hall) digs in to the end; she’s impressed me every week.”

Frau Blucher, along with Handover Belle and Perfect Alliance, who finished seventh and eighth, respectively, in the first heat, were scratched from the final.