BY AVALYN HUNTER
After having added to his list of accomplishments by siring the world’s top-rated Thoroughbred racehorse of 2024, City of Troy, Justify is arguably the hottest young stallion on the planet. He is also a scarce commodity as a sire of sires, given that his fourth crop is just now coming up to racing age. Only five are currently standing in North America, including Champions Dream, who is standing his first season at Helen and Joe Barbazon’s Pleasant Acres Stallions in Morriston, Fla.
Champions Dream is the third foal from Dancinginherdreams, who captured the 2010 Pocahontas (Grade 2) in her second lifetime start after her five-length maiden score. A daughter of three-time American champion sire Tapit, she placed in two other Grade 2 events and is a half-sister to 2012 Sorority (Listed)-winner Doubled, by Exchange Rate. She is also a half-sister to Callmenancy, by Political Force, the dam of 2020 Joe Hernandez (G2)-winner Texas Wedge, a son of Colonel John.
Dancinginmydreams is out of the Menifee mare Mayan Milagra, a half-sister to Listed stakes-winner Bema, by Pulpit, dam of Grade 1-placed, stakes-winner Due Diligence, a son of War Front; and to stakes-winner Deodar, by Woodman.
Produced from the stakes-winning Icecapade mare Dhaka, a half-sister to Grade 3-winner Siebe, by Dahar, Mayan Milagra is also a half-sister to In Love Again, by Awesome Again, the dam of juvenile stakes-winner Little Widow Maker, by Orientate.
Champions Dream lived up to the speedy and precocious nature of his female family. As a 2-year-old in training, he fetched $425,000 from Rosedown Racing Stables at the 2022 Ocala Breeders’ Sales March sale after breezing a quarter-mile in :20.80 from the consignment of Parrish Farms. He was a “buzz horse” in the days leading up to his 2022 debut at Saratoga and did not disappoint in a seven-furlong maiden special weight, winning by two-and-a-quarter lengths against a field that included future Grade 3-placed, stakes winning Florida-bred Cagliostro.
(Champions Dream’s Under Tack Video)
After finding a jump to Grade 1 company too much for him in the Champagne (G1), he bounced back to win the one-mile Nashua Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct. Second to Florida-bred Zydeceaux in the $125,000 Pasco at Tampa Bay Downs in his first outing as a 3-year-old, he struggled with various issues after than before finishing his career with a victory against second-level, $62,500 optional claimers over a mile-and-seventy-yards on synthetic at Gulfstream Park on June 23, 2024, stepping off the distance in a smart clocking of 1:39.47.
“Physically, Champions Dream blends the best of Justify and Tapit,” Pleasant Acres Stallion Manager Christine Jones said. “He’s about 16.1 hands and has a good shoulder and a strong hip—just a gorgeous horse. He was very well received at our stallion show last month and his owners plan to support him with ten to twelve mares. I’m anticipating that he’ll get off to a great start.”
Champions Dream is standing the 2025 season for $5,000 live foal.
Return to the February 5 issue of Wire to Wire
