Unbeaten Dream Tree looks like Monomoy Girl’s next obstacle

The 3-year-old filly division has been all about Monomoy Girl for the past eight months, though after this past weekend, the still-undefeated Dream Tree became the latest to show she could change that.

Before sidelined earlier this year, the daughter of Uncle Mo won Santa Anita’s Grade 2 Las Virgenes Stakes at Santa Anita, a well-known prep for the Kentucky Oaks. But when the track came up sloppy for the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel in March, trainer Bob Baffert scratched the filly. And we didn’t see her race again for months due to a minor setback.

In Dream Tree’s absence, Monomoy Girl rose to the top of the division. She handled Wonder Gadot in the Kentucky Oaks, 2-year-old champ Caledonia Road in the Acorn and Midnight Bisou in the Coaching Club American Oaks.

It is likely that in her next couple of starts, Dream Tree will become the latest challenger to Monomoy Girl, and arguably her toughest opponent yet. 

As noted, Dream Tree is undefeated. However, she is also largely untested.

In last Sunday’s Grade 2 Prioress Stakes at Saratoga, Dream Tree returned victorious in her first race in seven months. Not only that, but the final time of 1:09.50 for the six furlongs was as good as any could wish for after such a long time off, as was the :12.47 seconds it took her to complete the final furlong after contesting some impressive early splits.

Nothing has been said in regard to her next start, but Baffert likes to take his 3-year-olds to Parx Racing for its signature events, the Pennsylvania Derby and Cotillion Stakes. Should Dream Tree run next in the Cotillion, she would likely face Monomoy Girl, a winner of four straight Grade 1 races.

Other potential targets could include the Zenyatta Stakes at Santa Anita or the Beldame Stakes at Belmont. However, both of those races would match her up against older horses at nine furlongs. The Cotillion sticks to her age group at 8.5 furlongs.

No matter how events unfold, it is likely too late for Dream Tree to swipe the divisional title from Monomoy Girl for 2018. Even if she were to gain head to head victories over that opponent in races like the Cotillion and Breeders’ Cup Distaff, voters would likely lean towards rewarding Monomoy Girl’s overall season.

That said, there’s a chance for Dream Tree to conclude 2018 undefeated, lightly raced and thought of as the best 4-year-old female on dirt heading into 2019. Of course, it would also mean beating a filly that has displayed little weakness.