(Hillerito wins the Dream Supreme Stakes at Churchill Downs on Saturday / All Photos by Holly M. Smith)

From the Churchill Downs Media Team / Darren Rogers:

HILLERITO HANGS A HEAD ON R DISASTER TO WIN $287,500 DREAM SUPREME

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025) – Hillerito, owned and trained by David Jacobson, overcame an awkward start, collared pacesetter R Disaster leaving the turn and then turned back a gutsy re-rally from the early leader in deep stretch to win Saturday’s 20th running of the $300,000 Dream Supreme (Listed) at Churchill Downs by a diminishing head.

          Ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, 5-year-old mare Hillerito ran six furlongs in 1:09.56 to collect her first stakes win. It was her sixth win in eight career starts and the $183,450 first prize jumped her earnings to $384,751. Hillerito also has two seconds, including a runner-up effort to One Magic Philly in her previous start on Oct. 11 at Keeneland in a 6 ½-furlong allowance/optional claiming event.

“Normally she’s very quick out of the gate but she was a little slow today,” Gaffalione said. “I let her get her feet back under her and she fired home nicely.”

Hillerito was expected to be on or near the lead as she was in each of her previous seven starts, but the mare went to her knees when the gates opened and she drifted outward to her right leaving her in fourth position. Instead, it was the odds-on 1-2 favorite R Disaster, winner of the Gallant Bloom (Grade II) at Aqueduct in her previous start, who led the cast of six fillies and mares through a first quarter mile in :22.29 with Jersey Pearl in close pursuit to her inside and Hillerito a couple lengths back in the clear and now in third.

         Around the turn, Hillerito made the first move with a three-wide run and seized the lead after a half-mile in :45.08. She spurted clear to a 2 ½ length lead at the top of the stretch but R Disaster didn’t quit. In fact, she threatened to recapture the lead from Hillerito with a powerful kick down the center of the track but came up short when the photo finish was revealed.

“I think the slow start helped us a little with how the pace developed,” Jacobson said. “It gave us the extra little jump that we needed at the end.”

Hillerito, the 9-2 third betting choice, returned $11.98, $4.72 and $3.10. R Disaster, under Jose Ortiz, paid $2.44 and $2.10. Jersey Pearl, with Francisco Arrieta up, was another 4 ¼ lengths back in third and paid $3.58 to show. Halina’s Forte, Mink’s Palace and Sudden Switch completed the order of finish. Marmalade Skye, Taliesin, Tapit Quick and Top were scratched.

          Hillerito is a daughter of Army Mule out of the War Front mare Revelle’s Echo and was bred in Kentucky by Theta Holding 1 Inc.

The Dream Supreme is named after the six-time graded stakes winner who won the Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs in 2001. Trained by Bill Mott, Dream Supreme won two Grade I sprints in her 16-race career and earned $1,007,680 between 1999-2001.

DREAM SUPREME QUOTES

 

Tyler Gaffalione, Jockey, Hillerito (winner): “Normally she’s very quick out of the gate but she was a little slow today. I let her get her feet back under her and she fired home nicely.”

David Jacobson, Owner/Trainer, Hillerito (winner): “I think the slow start helped us a little with how the pace developed. It gave us the extra little jump that we needed at the end.”