Dream Catcher cements place as champion three-year-old filly
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DREAM CATCHER fulfilled her destiny yesterday by adding the 10-furlong Jamaica Oaks to the Thornbird, Portmore, and 1000 Guineas titles she has amassed this season, crowning herself champion three-year-old filly, a month since finishing fifth among colts and geldings in the St Leger.
Tevin Foster’s fourth winner on the 10-race card and closing a four-timer for champion trainer Jason DaCosta as well, 1-2 favourite DREAM CATCHER led from her inside draw, stall two, but was throttled heading into the clubhouse turn for stablemate TAYLOR MADE to hassle 16-1 outsider MINNEHAHA entering the backstretch.
DREAM CATCHER sat third, joined by GIVING THANKS down the backstretch, before almost nonchalantly going after MINEHAHA three furlongs out along the rail after TAYLOR MADE’s job was done.
Entering the straight with the field at her mercy, DREAM CATCHER led two furlongs out and stayed on to beat GIVING THANKS, doing just enough for a two-and-a-quarter length win in 2:07.4, a full second quicker than top colt WE JAMMIN’s 2:08.4 in the St Leger, reigniting another filly-vs colt argument for Thursday’s 12-furlong Jamaica Derby.
Whether DaCosta takes the unlikely path of putting DREAM CATCHER through 22 furlongs in five days, the Vinute Taylor-owned filly would have already cemented herself in the history books with eyes on the breeding shed possibly at the end of this season.
Sired by Bern Identity, DREAM CATCHER was foaled by local-bred mare Double Jeopardy (Legal Process-lady Geetadeo), who might not have done much as a racer but hails from one of the best classic-throwing dam sires in recent times, Legal Process, whose daughter, Alsafra (Legal Process-Tee Gee Vee), won the 2008 Triple Crown.
Alsafra foaled Seeking My Dream, a two-time Diamond Mile winner, giving further credence to Legal Process, who was also the dam sire of Lady Najariya, whose son, I DREAM AGAIN, won last year’s Jamaica Derby and St Leger.
DREAM CATCHER also has staying pedigree in her mare’s lineage, Lady Geeta, whose dam, Fiord, won the 1000 Guineas in 1995. Fiord, sired by Exotic Traveler, was the daughter of Milford Sound, winner of the 1990 Jamaica Oaks.
Foster’s four-timer moved him to 54 wins, five off two-time champion Raddesh Roman, who had denied him what would have been his first title by one winner in 2024, landing the last race of the year in a driving finish between the two riders.
Starting his assault aboard United States-bred NOVIO in the second at five furlongs round, Foster chased down the 1-9 favourite, stablemate and fellow American PEPPER STEPPER, with Robert Halledeen to open DaCosta’s account.
Foster returned to boot home DaCosta’s even-money favourite, champion owner Carlton Watson’s STAR QUEST in the fourth, rallying to outfinish LOCKDOWN at seven and a half furlongs. Surging late astride Oral Hayden’s WAYNE’S PRINCESS in the sixth at six and a half furlongs, Foster afterwards enjoyed an armchair ride aboard DREAM CATCHER.
DaCosta’s third winner was Watson’s American, DOTHRAKI, who outfinished rail-running RAINSVILLE in the BGLC Trophy after both caught CALIFORNIA CROWN stealing home in the open-allowance at five and a half furlongs, winning at odds of 2-1 in 1:05.0.
Foster wasn’t the only jock on fire, lightweight Tajay Suckoo notched his third consecutive three-timer – KELLAN, ANOTHER ONE and ENTHUSIASTIC – moving to 44 winners, four clear of fourth-place Dane Dawkins on 40.