(December 3, 2005) - Dreamsandvisions delivered a dream-like performance in tonight's feature at Sam Houston Race Park, the $40,000 Conroe Stakes. The 3-year-old Texas-bred gelding was ridden confidently by Bobby Walker, Jr. and captured the seven-furlong stakes in a time of 1:23.18.

“Steve sent me out there with a lot of horse tonight,” said Walker. “The two horse went out on the lead and I knew that I could pick him up at any point. There was no reason to contest the pace. I just sat there and waited and when I called on him, it was over.”

Dreamsandvisions is owned by Sandra Duke of Bloomberg, Texas and trained by her husband, Steven. He was making his second start of the meet at Sam Houston Race Park following a third-place finish two weeks ago in the $100,000 Star of Texas on Texas Champions Day.

“Two weeks ago he was coming back from 49 days between races and he was just too fresh,” said Duke. “He bolted out of the gates on us and that’s not good for a closer. I think that race really set him up for tonight; he’s really been a nice horse.”

Don Simington was tabbed to ride Dreamsandvisions, but took off his mounts following tonight’s fourth race due to a sore shoulder. Duke had no problem naming Walker to ride.

“Bobby’s a very good come-from-behind rider,” said Duke. “He just really needed to sit on him until the three-eighths pole and turn him lose and he finished pretty good.”
Leaving On My Mind, with Roman Chapa in the irons was second. Trained by Danny Pish, the son of leading Texas sire, Valid Expectations returned to action following his turf win two weeks ago in the $50,000 Richard King, one of the two turf stakes on Texas Champions Day.

"He ran a good race,” said Chapa, who won the 2004 Conroe Stakes aboard Two Down Automatic. “It might have taken a little bit out of him the last time we run him. He ran such a hard race but he tried all he could. He's a gutsy horse and he tries all that he can try. Danny and agreed that coming back after (Texas Champions Day) may have been a factor."

"I was pleased with his effort tonight,” added Pish. “ Roman and I talked and we share the same opinion that (Leaving On My Mind) may have left a little bit on the track after the mile and eighths victory in the Richard King. Training wise, he didn't show that. He showed me that he was sure ready to run back, and I think he was. Maybe tonight was maybe not his best race. I feel this horse is a versatile horse with a lot of guts, and I can't take a thing away from him. We got beat tonight, but he could turn around and beat (Dreamsandvisions) the next time."

Dreamsandvisions, sent off as the second betting choice, returned $5.00, $2.20 and $2.20 across the board. The 4-6 exacta paid $8.80 and the 4-6-1 trifecta with Andanight paid $40.20. Gee’s Glitter, Laura’s Choice, First Magic and Bay Resort completed the order of finish.

News and Notes

Tonight’s Conroe Stakes was the final stakes of the year at Sam Houston Race Park. Live racing continues through Friday, December 23 and the 2006 racing season kicks off on Friday, January 6, 2006.

Key racing dates in 2006 include Saturday, January 21 for the $100,000 MAXXAM Gold Cup, Saturday, February 18 in which two divisions of the Texas Stallion Stakes will be contested and Saturday, April 8 for the 12th running of the Grade III John B. Connally Breeders' Cup Turf.