Penn Mile: On rainy night, Dream On goes from last to 1st

After being postponed twice it was finally all systems go for the Grade 3 Penn Mile, Penn National's flagship race, on Friday night. It was Dream On who handled the misty conditions best, rallying to win by a length for trainer Mark Casse and jockey Javier Castellano.

Mi Bago, also trained by Casse and bet down to 7-10 favorite in the field of five, made the early lead with Out On Bail tracking outside. Mi Bago carved out early fractions of 23.97 seconds for the opening quarter and 48.30 seconds for the half as Dream On chased in last, under a hold and about four lengths from the front.

Around the far turn Mi Bago continued to lead, but the cavalry was coming. Cairo Caper, fourth through the early running, launched his rally with Dream On following kindly behind. Coming into the lane Out On Bail came out and carried Cairo Caper with him, but Dream On was able to slip inside and avoid that trouble. Dream On kicked on inside of Out On Bail and loomed outside Mi Bago, who clung to a narrow lead.

Approaching the sixteenth pole, Dream On seized the lead from the odds-on pacesetter and sailed home to win by a length. Dream On stopped the timer in 1:35.62 for a mile on yielding turf, and paid backers $6.00 to win.

Cairo Caper won the bob for place, a head in front of Out On Bail, with a weakening Mi Bago a length behind in fourth. Panagiotis, who chased midpack but began to weaken on the far turn, was a long-looking last. Barbadian Runner, States' Rights and Zulu Kingdom were scratched.

Dream On is a 3-year-old colt by Not This Time out of the Grade 2-winning Discreet Cat mare Mamma Kimbo. He is owned by D. J. Stable, who purchased him for $380,000 as a 2-year-old at OBS April last year. His win in the Penn Mile extended his career record to 9: 4-1-1 and $487,740 in earnings. It was his second career stakes victory, after a win in the Woodhaven Stakes at Aqueduct on April 26, his last start before the Penn Mile.