In early January, owner Ian Fromowitz was on the fence whether he was going to purchase a somewhat unproven four-year-old Delaware-bred racehorse for $10,000. Ten starts, nine wins and $97,800 in purses later
, the resident of Richmond Hill, Ont. is glad he hopped over to the greener side.
The horse in question is Melvins Dream, a gelded son of Gamblers Dream out of the KGs Joshua mare KGs Starlet. Prior to Fromowitz purchasing the gelding, the bay had put forth 29 career starts and compiled a record of three wins, four second-place finishes and six thirds, good for over $30,000 in purse earnings.
In the start prior to Fromowitz acquiring Melvins Dream, the gelding had gone a tough first-up trip at Dover Downs. The gelding fought through the second quarter onward, but faded in the lane. He ended up cashing a cheque with a fifth-place effort. He was beaten four lengths and paced his mile in 1:56.4.
"Before I bought the horse, he had only raced once this year and finished nowhere," Fromowitz told Trot Insider. "I got a call from my agent and he told me about this horse and that I could get him for $10,000 and that I should get him."
Fromowitz, 44, explained that after discussing the possible acquisition with one of his trainers, he and the conditioner decided against buying Melvins Dream.
"I went back to my agent and told him that I wasn't interested," Fromowitz explained. "Next thing you know, I get a call back from my agent and (trainer) Nat Varty is on the phone as well -- it essentially ended up being a conference call. Nat told me that my $10,000 was safe and that it would be a good investment. They swayed me. I decided to buy the horse, but I don't think anyone could've predicted what has happened since."
The move has paid off in spades for Fromowitz. After the transaction, Melvins Dream moved into Varty's barn and went on to reel off a four-race win streak at the Meadowlands Racetrack. That streak was snapped February 20 when the gelding went first-up in a conditioned event and finished just a nose back in second. One week later, Melvins Dream avenged his loss by converting a nine-hole start into a sharp off-the-pace victory in 1:50.3.
After the last of the gelding's Meadowlands wins, Fromowitz and Varty pointed Melvins Dream back to Dover. The gelding's times dropped somewhat, but that was until a race with some decent early fractions set up perfectly for him this past Monday
"He's won all five of the races that we've put him in at Dover. On Monday he drew off in a four-year-old Open Handicap and won in [1:] 49.3, which to this point is the fastest mile of the year there.
"We're going to race one more time at Dover and then re-assess, but we are looking to supplement him to some late closers."
Melvins Dream has been entered Dover's $40,000 Preferred on Monday, April 12. The gelding has drawn the rail and Tony Morgan has been listed to steer.