Terribly Great 2's: Dreaming of Julia

In the past few weeks, the 'net has been abuzz with the ever-present rumblings known to pursue any good-looking, win-happy two-year-old. It's not Uncle Mo, it's not Union Rags.
The hype is for a pair of fillies.

Kauai Katie and Teen Pauline, a talented duo from Stonestreet Stables, have graced the fans at Saratoga Racecourse with a pair of rich, vividly painted triumphs. First, Kauai Katie burst onto the scene with a dominant, 12 length victory against maiden special weight company -- earning herself a Beyer Speed Figure of 100. Next from the gate was Teen Pauline, who also shined in her respective debut, putting away a field of maidens by an easy 4 lengths. The result: a new track record.

As happy as we'd all be just to own a piece of one of these fillies, Barbara Banke was not done yet.
This weekend, she unveiled a third potential superstar. Scratch the duo, make it a trio.
Dreaming of Julia has arrived on the scene.

Shown here in her walkover performance, the filly named after the daughter of widowed Barbara Banke quickly took residence at the head of the field, guiding them through fractions of 22.03 and 45.55. 

As the field filed in the homestretch, John Velazquez had only to shake his reins; Dreaming of Julia was off like a rocket, cutting a sizable wedge of 10 lengths between herself and the second place horse.

By the sixth furlong, the time was 1:10.10, and by the end of the race the clock read 1:16.48 for the 6 1/2 furlong, dirt, MSW.

Having endorsed both Teen Pauline and Kauai Katie with a fleet of good feelings, I was stunned in turn by Dreaming of Julia, the latest edition to my Kentucky Oaks "future book" list. Not only was she the epitome of brilliance in the race she made look like a parade; Dreaming of Julia has every bit the pedigree to affirm her owner's beliefs that this filly deserves to be grouped with her other two "super fillies".

Dreaming of Julia's sire is none other than the celebrated distance influence, A.P. Indy. A Belmont Stakes and Breeders' Cup Classic winner, A.P. Indy has sired the prolific Grade 1 winners Bernardini, Rags to Riches, and Mineshaft. Dreaming of Julia's grandsire is Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew. Her sire's dam is Weekend Surprise, a stakes winner who raced 31 times. Weekend Surprise is sired by the great Secretariat,  and her dam, Lassie Dear, is sired by Buckpasser. 

Dreaming of Julia is the first foal of Dream Rush, a Grade 1 winning sprinter sired by Wild Rush, winner of the Met Mile and Carter Handicap among other races. Wild Rush was successful up to 1 mile and 3/16ths. His sire, Wild Again, won the inaugural Breeders' Cup Classic. Wild Again is known for siring Belmont winner Sarava and Santa Anita Handicap victor Milwaukee Brew. Through this line, Dreaming of Julia traces back to the distance influences of Nearctic and Drone.

Dreaming of Julia's granddam, Turbo Dream, is sired by the Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic winning Unbridled. Unbridled is best known for siring Kentucky Derby winner Grindstone, who went on to sire Birdstone, who won the Belmont before going on to sire Smarty Jones. He also sired Belmont winner Empire Maker.

I could ramble on for ages about the storybook names and races encoded deep in Dreaming of Julia's blood. I won't, so here's a synopsis, a conclusion, a beginning to a hopeful career: Dreaming of Julia has a lot of promise.