M Ms Dream turned in a career-best performance as she led all the way in the $131,250 Dr. John R. Steele Memorial for trotting mares on Saturday afternoon (Aug. 5) at The Meadowlands.
With last year's Hambletonian Oaks champion Fashion Schooner (Tim Tetrick) breaking stride at the inside, M Ms Dream and driver David Miller got away with an easy lead out of post two through a :27.2 first quarter.
After a rated second panel to the half in :55.4, she continued on top to three-quarters in 1:24 with Raised By Lindy (Yannick Gingras) on her back while Warrawee Xenia (Bob McClure) moved first-up and the 1-5 favoured Graduate Series champion, Jiggy Jog S (Dexter Dunn), tracked second-over before angling three-wide for the stretch drive. However, M Ms Dream made it a race for place as she cruised to a two-length victory in 1:50 flat, knocking one full second off her lifetime mark.
Jiggy Jog S, who was caught by M Ms Dream in the final eighth of the added-distance Hambletonian Maturity in their last Big M match up in mid-July, closed outside of Warrawee Xenia and Raised By Lindy to finish second once again.
"The race didn't go nothing like I thought," said Miller afterwards. "When Timmy's mare made a break leaving, I thought for sure Dexter would be coming. In the middle of the first turn, I was all by myself and we just kind of took it as easy as we could and she had lots left."
Ron Burke trains the four-year-old Indiana-sired daughter of Swan For All out of Trading Places for owners Eleven Star Stables of Portland, Indiana, Frank Baldachino of Harvey Cedars, New Jersey and Hillside Stables of Dundee, Ohio.
Picking up her fifth win of the season from eight starts, M Ms Dream has been proving her talent on the Grand Circuit this season after dominating the Indiana program as a youngster.
"She's just racing excellent," said Miller. "She's really stepped up and it's been a nice surprise."
The millionaire mare improved her lifetime record to 23-1-2 from 29 starts.
After missing by just a nose to Fashion Schooner in last weekend's Miss Versatility Series leg, M Ms Dream was sent postward as the 7-2 second choice and paid $9.80 to win.
Click on the following link for coverage of the 2023 Hambletonian and a replay of the day's stakes events.