"Dream Pearl and Sand Victor have been knocking it out all year"
24 September 2018, Los Alamitos, California ~ Dream Pearl triumphed over rival Sand Victor to win as southern California hosted the third and final leg of the Emirates Breeders California Gold Rush Handicap at Los Alamitos race track on 23 September 2018.
The 7 Furlong race brought together six of the horses that had nominated in June for the sponsored 3-race Series when True Grit was an early scratch.
Dream Pearl, having won the last two races in the Emirates Breeders Series, was favored to win this third and final race, but there was the challenge to consider from stablemate Sand Victor, also from trainer Terri Eaton’s barn. The rivalry has lasted all season with Sand Victor topping Dream Pearl in the 29 July Arabian Stakes race.
Dream Pearl (Burning Sand x Triumphs Pearl by Seyvilla Triumph) made her usual assault from the rear of the pack under jockey Jose Monroy, taking the lead from Sand Victor in the stretch under top jockey Hugo Herrera. The seven year-old mare has now won all three of the Emirates races with Sand Victor coming a close second giving Eaton a double each time. Raineing Sand was third, RB Hot Risk fourth, Southerland fifth and My Thunder Bolt, sixth. The winning time was 1:33:29.[envira-gallery id=”192863″]
Photo Gallery Scott Martinez, Los Alamitos Race Course
“Southerland set the pace, which is what we expected,” Eaton said. “He has early foot and set a nice pace. Sand Victor challenged and I thought Sand Victor was going to get there. He tends not to like the inside, he likes to be on the outside. When she came and challenged him it was just a tough challenge. He bore down and they both tried hard and both showed a lot of heart. They’ve been knocking it out all year. She was just the better horse tonight.”
Dream Pearl has now scored her 14th win in 27 career starts and earned $11,200 for the Emirates Breeders win earning a total of $134,908 in her career. She’s also two for two at Los Alamitos, adding this victory to her win in the Uptown Farm Arabian Stakes on 16 September 2016.
Dream Pearl is owned by Dorothy Burt, Evelyn Call, Terri Eaton and Cory Soltau, and was bred by Joseph A or Betty J Gillis. Sand Victor is owned by Joseph A or Betty J Gillis, and Raineing Sand is owned by Lettie Smeding.
Watch Dream Pearl Winning Video here or in the archives on the menu: https://horsereporter.com/race-replay/
The Arabian Racing Association of California appreciates the Emirates Breeders Group for sponsoring this race Series.
Arabian racing in California continues in Fresno in October.
~Pamela Burton