M Ms Dream returned to win another renewal of the $251,389 Dr. John R. Steele Memorial (Grade 2) for open trotting mares on Hambletonian Day, Saturday, Aug. 2 at The Meadowlands.
Driven by Yannick Gingras, the Ron Burke-trained daughter of the productive Midwest sire Swan For All – and out of the dam Trading Places – recorded a lifetime speed badge, winning in 1:49.4 and matching the 2022 stakes record recorded by Bella Bellini. M Ms Dream collected her third consecutive win in the Steele Memorial.
Though she had a good start off of the gate from an inside draw, M Ms Dream settled third as Tim Tetrick gunned 2-1 second choice Call Me Goo to the top and led her rivals into a sizzling :26.2 first quarter. Drawn Impression (Louis-Philippe Roy) rolled from an outside post to sit second behind the leader.
As the half approached, Bravo Angel S (Jason Bartlett) left the inside line from mid-pack to go first-over, giving cover to 6-5 favourite Elista Hanover (David Miller). Call Me Goo, meanwhile, stomped strongly in front through a :54.3 half and to three-quarters in 1:22.3, where pocket-sitter Drawn Impression and first-up Bravo Angel S broke stride and opened the door for M Ms Dream to slide outside for the stretch drive.
M Ms Dream ground past Call Me Goo in mid-stretch and had enough trot to hold off the rally from trailing tier starter Warrawee Michelle as she split rivals late with in a :26 closing quarter to grab second for trainer/driver Ake Svanstedt, beaten a half length. The Svanstedt stablemate Call Me Goo took third.
M Ms Dream, a six-year-old mare owned by Hillside Stables of Dundee, Ohio and Frank Baldachino of Harvey Cedars, New Jersey, earned just the second victory of her 2025 season and the 34th victory from 62 starts in her $2.17 million career. She was bred by Mervin Miller.
“She hasn’t been able to beat the best horses in the game up to this point [this year],” said Baldachino. “But me and Ronnie [Burke] talked a month ago, and this was the race that we were targeting on our calendar all year. This was the race where we knew we could pull the shoes. She loves The Meadowlands and Yannick gave her a great trip. She’ll run anybody down with a clear path down the lane.”
M Ms Dream paid $57.60 for the 27-1 upset win.
(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)