At the Dunstan Horse Feeds Breeders NZ Cup Eve Cocktail Function in Christchurch early November 2020, it was announced that DREAMY ATOM was the recipient of the 2020 NZ Pacing Broodmare of Excellence Award.
2020 is the second year separate awards have been made to both pacing and trotting gaited broodmares (as opposed to one overall award).
DREAMY ATOM (1991f Sokys Atom/Lumber Lie; member of North American family of Kate by Highland Chief U301) : six wins, 1:59.2, $108,810; twelve foals, eight raced, seven winners plus qualifier, six 1:57 or better, one in 1:50, three $100k winners. Bred by Vin and Daphne Devery) as were all her progeny.
| DOB | FOAL/WINS BY LOCATION | NZ | AU | NA | G/T | MR | $ |
| 1998 | Happy Dreamer (f Son Of Affella) | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 1:57.0US | 45,484 |
| 2000 | Dream Royale (f Beach Towel) | 1 | 14 | 7 | 22 | 1:53.3US | 145,068 |
| 2001 | Presidential Dream (g Presidential Ball) | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1:53.1 | 34,856 |
| 2002 | Western Dream (f Badlands Hanover) | 13 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 1:56.3 | 332,895 |
| 2006 | Exotic Dream (f Artiscape)/Exotic Stride AUS | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2:05.3 | 2,840 |
| 2011 | Watch The Dream (f Christian Cullen) | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1:56.6 | 31,847 |
| 2013 | Tisadream (g Bettors Delight) | 0 | 13 | 7 | 20 | 1:50.0US | 173,966 |
| Total foals : | $765k+ |
** Conversion: US$=$A1=$NZ1
In what has been a productive couple of decades for Dreamy Atom and her progeny, among Awards won are : Dreamy Atom – NZ two year old pacing filly of year (1993/4), Southland Harness Broodmare of Year (2005), Elite Mare (2006) with her progeny named Southland Broodmare of Year – 2019 Christian Dreamer (NZ Pacing Broodmare of Year 2019/20), Southland Horse Honoured – Western Dream (2019) and NZ 2yo (2004/5)/3yo (2005/6) Pacing Filly of Year. The immediate family includes other award winners as related below.
Dreamy Atom was the winner of six from twenty one starts (1:59.2, $108,810) for trainer Vin Devery including her first two career 2yo starts in Southland followed by a fourth in the Kindergarten Stakes and a fourth two year victory in the NZSS – 2f final. Named and awarded 1994 2yo Filly Pacer of the Year.
At three Dreamy Atom’s two victories were at Invercargill and in the Sires Stakes three year old fillies final at Alexandra Park. Retired after a brief four year old stint with Barry Purdon in Auckland, she set about making her mark in the broodmare barn.
Dreamy Atom’s dam was Lumber Lie, an unraced qualifier for Denice Swain at Ashburton in April 1990. She was the dam of eight foals, the first of which was Sokys Atom filly Dreamy Atom. Others of note included unraced Electrify (Holmes Hanover) who left Truer Memorial winner Lochinver (1:52.2, $302,448), grand dam of Tanaka Eagle (1:54.7, $261,411) and Islay 1:52.4US; (My) Happy Golucky (Cameleon), winner of the Leonard Memorial as a maiden at her third start, winning a further eight races in Australia (2:00.1AUS, $49,313) and her third winner Holmes Hanover gelding Costalot, winner of eight in NZ (Hawera/Kumeu Country Cups) and 1:54.3US in North America.
Dreamy Atom’s grand dam Ravinalan left three winners while third dam Facetious (four wins, 2:08.1, Winton Hcp) was Vin Devery’s first official racing interest and foundation mare. Facetious third foal was inaugural Sires Stakes Final winner Arveeae by Lumber Dream while another foal Facsimile won the Taranaki Breeders Stakes.
Dreamy Atom is a member of the North American family of Kate by Highland Chief (U301) whose NZ connection commenced when Etienne Le Lievre imported Berthabell in 1914. Berthabell’s daughters bred on leaving large families. Among Berthabell’s male progeny successful on the track and in the breeding barn were dual NZ Cup winner Peter Bingen (also NZFFA), NZ FFA winner Great Bingen, Auckland Cup/GN Derby winner Great Parrish – all leading sires and GN Derby winner Great Peter.
From Berthabell’s daughter Bell Bingen, the female tail line progressed through her unraced daughter Belita, unraced daughter Neferiti and her winning daughter Egyptian Queen who left Fallacy Queen through to Dreamy Atom’s third dam Facetious.
Dreamy Atom’s male progeny (three colts only) include :
Presidential Dream, winner of two at Alexandra Park and two in North America, 1:53.1US, $34,856
Tisadream, Dreamy Atom’s fastest progeny conceived when she had entered her twenties, with a 1:50.0 credit at 5/8ths Plainridge racecourse, USA. Winner of thirteen in Western Australia (1:54.6AUS) and ten in North America ($192,281)
Dreamy Atom’s numerous fillies (nine) include :
Happy Dreamer, eight NA wins, 1:57.0US, $96,916
Dream Royale, winner in NZ, fourteen Queensland wins (1:56.3; Queensland Ladyship, Queen Of Hearts mares races) and seven in North America (1:53.3, $145,068); dam of three winners in Australia including Soho Lennon, seventeen AUS (thirteen Gloucester Park, WA Nights of Thunder)/twenty five NA wins, 1:51.0US, $617,837
Western Dream, winner of thirteen in NZ/one AUS, 1:56.3NZ, 2:00.2AUS, $332,895. As a two year old she won her first five starts, four for Vin Devery including NZSS – 2f heat, Leonard Memorial, Caduceus Club Southland with Devery training before Tony Herlihy handled her for two successes including Group One Caduceus Club Classic. Named and awarded 2yo Filly Pacer of the Year honours at season’s end.
Seven wins at three in NZ, the first three in consecutive starts, NZSS – 3f heat, Ladyship Stakes and NZSS – 3f Final were followed by a fifth to Tosti Girl in GN Oaks. Vin Devery trained her for the first win with Tony Herlihy preparing and driving thereafter. Success in two Nevele R Fillies heats at Cambridge preceded dual Group One victories at Addington in the NZ Oaks and Nevele R Fillies Final. NZ stake earnings at three totalled $228,379 before Western Dream travelled to Australia for the Breeders Crown. A heat winner at Kilmore, followed by a fourth in her semi-final and seventh in the final. Western Dream was awarded NZ 3yo Filly Pacer of the year honours. After a few starts at four without success she was retired to the breeding barn.
Western Dream produced seven foals for the Devery’s, the last three by embryo transfer. With five to race for the perfect five winner’s record, Western Dream’s main claim to breeding fame rests with her first foal, the Christian Cullen gelding “Western Cullen”. Bought back at the sales by the Devery’s, gelded and sold to Perth owners P & T Poli, Western Cullen’s five NZ starts for Mark Purdon and Grant Payne produced two victories in NZSS – 2 heat and Yearling Sales final plus a second placing in NZSS – 2 final and thirds in Welcome Stakes and Harness Jewels (Fly Like An Eagle).
On arrival in Western Australia, Western Cullen went onto record a further seventeen victories including a first start win in the two year old Group One Golden Slipper, one of nine wins at Gloucester Park. His distinguished career included a fourth in the WA Derby and sixth in Golden Nugget, amassing $447,536 in stakes and a best mile rating of 1:55.6 (1684m, Pinjarra at three).
Dreamy Lover, non-winning pacer, dam of Western Delight, three NZ wins, 1:51.1US, $81,294
Exotic Dream, winner in Australia, 2:05.3; dam of two winners including Real Stride, fifteen NSW wins, 1:51.3, $158,480
Boom unraced mare Christian Dreamer, NZ Pacing Broodmare of Year for 2019/2020 season principally thanks to 3yo Pacing Filly of Year Amazing Dream. Her eight two year old starts produced three wins (Group One Caduceus Club Fillies, Yearling Sales series [1:54.9, 1980m], NZSS heat), placed second placing in the Sires Stakes Fillies final and third in the Delightful Lady Classic.
Amazing Dream’s NZ three year old career (eight wins from nine starts) included four Group One events – Caduceus Club Ladyship Stakes, NZSS 3yo Fillies Final, GN Oaks/Derby double plus the Yearling Sales series. Amazing Dream was just the second filly to achieve the Great Northern Oaks/Derby double since the Kevin Holmes trained and driven Rippers Delight in 1975.
At the end of her NZ campaign Amazing Dream’s record stood at eighteen starts for eleven wins (six Addington, five Alexandra Park; five Group Ones), $625,085, 1:54.9, 1980m at two. After establishing NZ records at 1980mM 2:21.4 (2yo fillies) and 2700mM 3:16.2 (3yo fillies/mares) and being named 3yo Pacing Filly of the Year, Amazing Dream undertook a short Australian campaign in Queensland. Second in her first race in late August after a 4½ month break between starts, she won her next Albion Park start in a career best 1:53.3MR (1660m).
Back in NZ, Amazing Dream won her first two four year starts in heats of the 2019/20 season’s 3yo Nevele R Fillies series at Addington (1:56.4/1:56.6MR for 1980m). In the final at Addington on Cup Day 2020 she repeated her 2019 Cup Day victory again from barrier nine (outside of mobile gate) in the Nevele R Fillies final in yet another meritorious performance (1:54.0 MR for 1980m). Amazing Dream backed up in the NZFFA on Show Day in her first attempt at the elite Grand Circuit level finishing fifth. As a prelude to this week’s Group One Queen of Hearts Amazing Dream won the Gp3 Northern Breeders Stakes at Alexandra Park. Her career record following her latest (sixth) Group One victory and two starts since stands at 25 : 16 – 4 – 3, 1:53.3AUS/1:54.0NZ, $724,435.
Amazing Dream’s full brother (Lets) Chase the Dream was NZ Two Year colt/gelding of the Year in 2015. The winner of six of nine starts at two (Sapling Stakes; Group One’s Cardigan Bay/Sires Stakes) although beaten into third by Lazarus in the Jewels. At three, three wins resulted (Sires Stakes heat, Waikato Guineas, WA Derby prelude – second Final) plus seconds to Lazarus in Sires Stakes and Yearling Sales Finals and GN Derby.
At four he won on Show Day during the 2016 NZ Cup carnival, was third in the Methven Green Mile (grass) preceding his final NZ win in the Group Two Cambridge 4/5yo Futurity. A brief Australian trip yielded two Menangle victories including the Group Two Brian Hancock Cup before a final NZ campaign included a second in the Rangiora Classic.
In Australia permanently as a five year old, Lets Chase The Dream tallied another two Western Australian wins before being exported to North America in September 2018. His Australasian record totalled fifteen victories with best mile rates of 1:53.2NZ and 1:49.9AUS (Menangle). In North America, Lets Chase The Dream has recorded nine victories (two in 2020) in the past two years with a best mile of 1:50.2US that brings his total to twenty four wins world-wide for stakes just over $600,000.
Catch the Dream, winner of two races from twelve starts, both as a four year old at Alexandra Park (1:59.8) and Manawatu Raceway for trainer Brent Mangos.
Drum Major, winner of first of only two starts as a three year old at Alexandra Park for trainer Barry Purdon who had big expectations of him before he broke down.
Watch the Dream, NZ winner plus three in Australia, 1:56.6, $31,847
Dreamy Atom’s superb record for the Devery’s is a testament to the prowess of exceptional horseflesh raised in Southland.
Peter Craig
9 December 2020
Note – ** originally published in Breeders Weekly of 19 November 2020 (NZSBA publication) – updated stats.
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