Dream Dancing Fends Off Beau Recall in G1 Del Mar Oaks

DEL MAR, CA – John Oxley’s hombred Dream Dancing made her first trip to California a memorable one, rallying from the rear of the field to edge out Beau Recall and take Saturday’s Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Oaks.

Jockey Julien Leparoux put the 3-year-old daughter of Tapit in the rear of the twelve-horse field while Blame It On Alphie set fractions of :23.61, :47.27, and 1:11.63. Exiting the far turn, Leparoux angled Dream Dancing out six-wide into the stretch and they rallied hard to cross the line first in a final time of 1:48.06 for the 1 1/8-mile turf race.

“The last time I rode her, I asked her at the 3/8, and she got a little weary at the end,” Leparoux said. “This time, I tried to wait as long as I could and she was still strong at the finish. This feels good; a win is a win, no matter where you get it.”

Dream Dancing improved her record to 12-4-2-1. The Del Mar Oaks was her second career graded stakes win to go along with the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride at Gulfstream Park on March 4, when she used a similar last-second move to defeat Coasted.

The Mark Casse trainee managed to win the head-bob over Beau Recall and jockey Joe Talamo by a nose.

“I’ve had my fair share of bad beats in my career, but this one has to rank right up there,” Talamo said. “Nasty. I had a good trip, she fought when that other filly came up outside her, but we just got beat.”

Just to the inside of Beau Recall, Madam Dancealot missed higher honors by a neck, settling for third under jockey Jamie Theriot.

“I had a great trip; I was getting through all the way on the rail,” Theriot said. “At the top the stretch, I saw a hole and said, ‘If I can get through there, this is going to be one of the great rides.’ I got through, just barely. I felt my horse brush horses on both sides of me, but I had to alter stride for two jumps, and that cost me. She ran great and tried hard.”

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Con Te Partiro beat out Meadowsweet by a neck for fourth. Vexatious, Storm the Hill, Tapped, Kathy’s Song, Pacific Wind, Kenda, and Blame It On Alphie completed the order of finish. Pistol Packin Rose and Bernina Star were scratched.

Dream Dancing returned $15.20 to win, $6.60 to place, and $4.20 to show. Beau Recall brought back $5.80 to place and $3.60 to show, while Madam Dancealot paid $3.60 to show.