Trainer Bill Kaplan concedes that Temo’s Dream briefly drifted into Cinnamon Road’s path as the pair dueled down the stretch in the Needles Stakes on Sept. 26 at Calder Race Course, but he contends Temo’s Dream had already passed his rival and was drawing away for a clear victory.
The stewards didn’t see it that way and disqualified the Florida-bred son of Lou-Roe Farm stallion Pure Precision to second place. Saturday, the pair could face each other again in the $100,000 Spend a Buck Handicap (G3) at Calder’s Festival of the Sun.
“If we go in the Spend A Buck, the only other real speed in that race is Cinnamon Road, so it might be a rematch,” Kaplan said. “There is no doubt he caused an infraction of the rules in the Needles, but it was also evident that he was going to win. Usually, the stewards don’t disqualify a horse when they would have won anyway. I was very surprised.”
Temo’s Dream is cross-entered in the $100,000 Calder Derby (G3) on Saturday and will start in that race only if it is taken off the turf, Kaplan said.
From the start of the Needles, Cinnamon Road and Temo’s Dream battled for the lead. Cinnamon Road took a slight lead which he held until the turn into the stretch of the 1 1/16-mile race. Temo’s Dream got a head in front as they came out of the turn and the pair battled side by side. Temo’s Dream began slowly building his lead and started drawing away in deep stretch, when he made a quick move into the path of Cinnamon Road and was just as quickly straightened out by jockey Paco Lopez.
What would have been Temo’s Dream first stakes victory instead became Cinnamon Road’s first stakes win. Temo’s Dream was bred by Steve Tucker and Edward Wiest and is owned by Vicino Racing Stables.
Saturday, a 12-horse field mostly made up of more experienced, older horses lines up for the 1 1/16-mile test.
Cinnamon Road is the second of a trio of sophomores in the race and is a son of Delaware Township. He was also bred by Tucker, this time with Lynne Boutte as partner.
Trained by Marty Wolfson, the gelding is owned by Stride Rite Racing Stable Inc. and N T S Stable.
Kaplan has two other runners in the race, including Kentucky Derby contender Imawildandcrazyguy and Dream Maestro. Both Florida-breds have developed into wily veterans who are always in contention of hitting the board.
Imawildandcrazyguy is coming off an allowance win on Sept. 12 over a sloppy main track at Calder.
Motovato has made living of staying close to the pace only to