Dream Tree remains perfect in Starlet triumph

Dec 09, 2017 Jennifer Caldwell/Brisnet.com

Phoenix Thoroughbred III's Dream Tree bided her time in second under jockey Drayden Van Dyke before asserting her class to post a 3 1/4-length victory in Saturday's $294,000 Starlet Stakes (G1) at Los Alamitos.

The Uncle Mo filly tracked pacesetter Yesterday's News on the backstretch before easily grabbing command in the lane and drawing off to stop the clock in 1:43.87 over the fast dirt.

Dream Tree is now undefeated from three career starts, having broken her maiden at Santa Anita Park on October 27 and captured the Desi Arnaz Stakes at Del Mar on November 18. The Bob Baffert pupil also boasts $270,000 in career earnings to go along with her perfect mark.

The Starlet is the final points race of 2017 on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks, and awarded the top four finishers 10-4-2-1 points toward a starting berth in next spring's Kentucky Oaks (G1).

Dream Tree took home the majority of those points for her win, which saw her debut on the Kentucky Oaks Leaderboard in the seventh spot. Yesterday's News easily held second by 5 1/4 lengths and made her first appearance on the Leaderboard with four points in the 15th slot.

Piedi Bianchi already earned her initial points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks, thanks to a third-place finish in the Chandelier Stakes (G1), and added another two points to her tally after sticking her nose in front of Exuberance on the Starlet wire. This third-placing brought her total to four and saw the gray filly move from 13th to 11th on the Leaderboard. Exuberance debuted on the listed with one point in 26th.