BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Royalight Racing’s Charlie’s Wish and Carolin Von Rosenberg’s homebred Dreaming of Abba are outside shots on the morning line of Saturday’s $175,000 Endeavour (Grade 3), with program odds of 15-1 and 20-1 respectively, but both have upset credentials. The purse in the mile-and-a-sixteenth contest for 11 fillies and mares on the turf reserves $25,000 for Florida-bred contenders, part of Tampa Bay Downs enhanced Florida-bred program.
Charlie’s Wish is a multiple stakes winner of $474,599 while Dreaming of Abba hails from the barn of Kathleen O’Connell, the track’s leading trainer last year and conditioner of nearly 2,500 winners, second most all-time among women.
Charlie’s Wish has been sharp in her last two starts, including a length victory in an upper tier, $62,500 optional claiming for fillies and mares going a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the Gulfstream Park grass on Oct. 18. Trainer David Fawkes then gave her a short, two-month rest before returning her for the $100,000 Key West overnight handicap at nine furlongs on the all-weather course on Jan. 1. Charlie’s Wish rallied from sixth of nine to finish second, just a neck behind winner Fantasy Performer.
Triumphant in six of 26 starts with eight seconds and five thirds, Charlie’s Wish counts among her stakes victories a half-length score in the $110,000 Distaff Turf at Tampa Bays in 2024. She won the $94,000 Ginger Punch on the Gulfstream synthetic that year as well.
Charlie’s Wish is by Double Diamond Farm’s First Dude out of Superior Sarah, by Werblin and was bred in Florida by Three Gin Guys.
She has post eight and Rafael Hernandez will ride.
Dreaming of Abba also appears in good form having won her last race over the Tampa Bay Downs grass. The 5-year-old mare used a stalking trip to win by a length-and-a-quarter against second condition, $32,000 optional claimers on Jan. 9.
By Fast Anna out of the Gone West mare Stellar Strength, Dreaming of Abba has career earnings of $178,025 from four wins, four seconds and four thirds from 18 starts.
Antonio Gallardo, who was aboard for the win last time out, will again be in the irons. They will depart post two.
Rounding out the field are Candy Quest with jockey Sonny Leon, Scythian has Daniel Centeno named to ride, Al Jafara (GB) and pilot Samy Camacho, Ben Curtis has the assignment on Aussie Girl (Ire), Madame Mischief will be ridden by David Egan, Belle of Rights with Samuel Marin up, Rajiv Maragh has the call on Love You Anyway, Starship Impulsive and rider Jesus Castanon and Pablo Morales will guide Public Defender.
Return to the January 30 issue of Wire to Wire
