Charlene’s Dream steals Gallorette on Preakness Day

Jockey Umberto Rispoli warmed up for his ride aboard Preakness (G1) favorite Journalism by executing a front-running coup earlier Saturday in the $150,000 Gallorette (G3). Securing an uncontested lead for Charlene’s Dream, he lulled the rest to sleep through leisurely fractions and masterminded the $18.20 upset at Pimlico.

Although the Gallorette was evenly matched on paper, Charlene’s Dream appeared to have something to find on the principals. The Ed Moger Jr. filly had yet to tackle graded company, and she was last seen fading to seventh in the Sept. 11 Dueling Grounds Oaks at Kentucky Downs. The cutback to 1 1/16 miles helped, especially in the absence of a pace rival. Dana’s Beauty and Conquest Dancer, who could have given her something to think about early, both scratched. 

Ocean Club might have forced the issue, but she deferred to Charlene’s Dream. Already two lengths clear through an opening quarter in :24.32, the Texas-bred continued on her merry way in :49.37 and 1:14.92. The proverbial damage was done by that point, and the closers didn’t stand a chance.

Charlene’s Dream delivered the coup de grace by opening up an insurmountable lead down the stretch. Austere deserves credit for her valiant rally for second, but she could get no nearer than 3 3/4 lengths at the wire. Charlene’s Dream polished off 1 1/16 miles on the good turf in 1:46.92.

Ocean Club held third, while German import Three Havanas closed for a sneaky fourth in her U.S. premiere. Next came the slight 3-1 favorite, Way to Be Marie, Sparkle Blue, and Queen of the Mud. 

Charlene’s Dream was overlooked in her prior visit to Maryland, too. As a two-year-old in training at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May Sale, she brought just $35,000 from owner Domeyko Taylor. She’d sold for the same amount as a Keeneland September yearling. That was nevertheless an improvement upon her $22,000 price as a “short” (i.e., newly-turned) yearling at Keeneland January.

The only black-type winner so far for sire Qurbaan, who was a smart turf performer himself, Charlene’s Dream has compiled a record of 8-5-1-0, $294,900. The chestnut scored her first two stakes wins as a juvenile at Golden Gate Fields, the 2023 Pike Place Dancer S. on turf and the Golden Gate Debutante S. on Tapeta. She added last summer’s Horseshoe Indianapolis H. in a wire job that foreshadowed the Gallorette.

Charlene’s Dream was bred by Eric Moreau-Sipiere and Randi Moreau-Sipiere in the Lone Star State, but you wouldn’t know it from her pedigree. Her dam, the War Front mare Clara Kelly, descends from Grade 1 winner Lucifer’s Stone. 

Jim McKay Turf Sprint

Later on the card, Pennsylvania-bred Witty made an explosive last-to-first move to dominate the $125,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint S. The half-brother to 2022 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) heroine Caravel was detached from the main body of the field in the initial stages, and he still had plenty of work to do at the top of the lane. But Witty suddenly burst to the fore in deep stretch, and in the blink of an eye, shot 3 1/4 lengths clear with Flavien Prat. 

Runner-up No Nay Hudson was a neck up on Determined Kingdom. Coppola folded late to fourth, followed by Honeyquist, Mattingly, and Fore Harp. Boat’s a Rockin and Duncan Idaho were withdrawn.

Bred and trained by Elizabeth Merryman, who owns him in partnership with Qatar Racing and Marc Detampel, Witty clocked five furlongs in :59.61 and returned $7.80. The gray son of Great Notion and the Congrats mare Zeezee Zoomzoom had been runner-up here a year ago. His mark of 31-10-11-1, $801,702, reflects six black-type wins and a further nine stakes placings.

James W. Murphy S.

Two of the partners involved in Preakness contender Sandman – West Point Thoroughbreds and CJ Stables – celebrated a big win on the undercard with 1-2 favorite Reagan’s Wit in the $100,000 James W. Murphy S. 

Also co-owned by David Ingordo, the Cherie DeVaux pupil swept from off the pace to score by 3 1/4 lengths. Reagan’s Wit managed to establish that much separation despite lugging in and giving jockey Jose Ortiz a hard time down the lane. 

Soleil Volant took second by a half-length from Twain, and Barbadian Runner rounded out the superfecta. Pacesetter Curahee couldn’t benefit from fractions of :24.07, :48.69, and 1:14.41 as he imploded to fifth. Stormy Flight and Studlydoright concluded the order of finish after the scratches of Clock Tower, End of Romance, and Mission Artemis.

Reagan’s Wit finished the mile in 1:40.25 to earn his first stakes laurel. A near-misser to Zulu Kingdom in the Columbia S. at Tampa Bay Downs, he was coming off a fourth to Test Score in the Transylvania (G3) at Keeneland. His scorecard stands at 5-2-2-0, $155,883.

Bred by Deann Baer and Greg Baer DVM in Kentucky, Reagan’s Wit sold for $135,000 as a Keeneland September yearling. He is out of the Sunday Break mare Dayienu, who is also responsible for Grade 2-placed Reagan’s Edge.