The four-year-old, Maryland-bred Intrepid Daydream is a daughter of Jess’s Dream, who is not a Maryland sire. Maryland-breds only draw into Maryland Million races when the number of Maryland-sired runners in a race drops below eight. That seemed unlikely in the Distaff, which had 10 Maryland-sired fillies and mares entered.

Then Mama G’s Wish and Moonboots both scratched. That opened the door a crack. Finally, minutes before the day’s 11:30 first post, Malibu Moonshine scratched. Intrepid Daydream could run.

“I was home, on the couch watching races, and [trainer Gary Capuano] texted me, and he goes, ‘Well, we’re gonna be in,’” recalled owner-breeder Larry Fowler. “I go, ‘In what? Really?’ So I had to rush around to get here.”

Good thing he did. Capuano, though, was in Delaware saddling his promising two-year-old Copper Tax to an easy win in the Rocky Run Stakes.

Under jockey Jevian Toledo, who won four races, including both the Distaff and the Maryland Million Classic, the latter by disqualification aboard Ain’t Da Beer Cold, Intrepid Daydream was never far back of the lead set by Timonium Distaff winner Response Time, who had early company from Malibu Beauty and Fille d’Esprit.

CHECK OUT THE LATEST OFF TO THE RACES RADIO!

Response Time maintained the lead through a quarter in 23;47 seconds and a half in 46.67 for the seven-furlong test over a track rated good. But Intrepid Daydream, four wide on the turn and confidently handled throughout, moved to engage the leader nearing the quarter pole and moved smartly away for the win.

Running time for the seven furlongs was 1:24.62. Response Time kept trying and held second, a length and a quarter ahead of her late-running stablemate Luna Belle, who finished third in a commendable effort in her first race in 17 months.

Intrepid Daydream paid $4.00 to win as the favorite. The exacta returned $7.10 for a buck.

On paper, the Distaff was easily the event’s best race. Beyond Intrepid Daydream – now 6-for-12 with over $318,000 in the bank – it featured the comebacking Luna Belle, who won five consecutive stakes prior to heading to the sidelines, $500,000 earner Malibu Beauty, and $770,000 earner Fille d’Esprit, as well as Response Time.

But Intrepid Daydream made it look easy.

“She’s a nice horse. We like her a lot,” Fowler said.

Now riding a three-race win streak – she had previously taken the Shine Again Stakes at Pimlico and the Tax-Free Shopping Distaff at Delaware Park – Intrepid Daydream. She’s obviously a formidable sprinter but has also won going long, something Fowler and Capuano have mentioned wanting to do previously.

But for today, they were perfectly happy to stay around one turn.

“It’s amazing, really,” Fowler said. “To breed them and with everything you go through with all the just you know, I’ve been with Gary 25, 30 years maybe. The ups and downs you go through, it’s unbelievable.”