Stonestreet Stables’ homebred Dream Pauline scored a narrow but determined victory in the six-furlong Sugar Swirl Stakes (G3) Dec. 15 at Gulfstream Park to become the latest graded stakes winner for champion sire Tapit.
A 3-year-old filly trained by Kiaran McLaughlin and ridden by Javier Castellano, Dream Pauline stalked the early leaders and made her bid for the lead around the far turn. In the stretch, the chestnut resolutely held off the challenge of Stormy Embrace for a neck victory at the wire.
Dream Pauline, who was named a “TDN Rising Star” after an impressive Aug. 2 Saratoga allowance victory, was making her graded stakes debut in the Sugar Swirl. She became Tapit’s 68th lifetime graded stakes winner and his 26th graded stakes horse of the year, the most for any American sire in 2018.
Stonestreet bred Dream Pauline in Kentucky from the Grade 1-winning sprinter Dream Rush (by Wild Rush), who is also the dam of 2012 Frizette Stakes (G1) winner Dreaming of Julia.