Trying in vain to make up an early 10-length deficit the Tracy Brainard trainee paced his final three-quarters in 1:21.1 but still came up 2 ¼ lengths short of Straight Shooting in the 1:50.1 mile. The loss snapped a two race winning streak for the son of Western Hanover who came into the American National off back to back wins in two of the year's biggest money events, the $542,060 Messenger Stake and the $600,000 Breeders Crown.

"For the trip he had he still paced a heck of a mile," said driver Tim Tetrick after the race. "He had the bobble behind the gate, then was three wide for pretty much the final five-eighths of a mile when the outer flow stalled and still wound up pacing a final quarter in 26 and change just to finish fourth."

The bay colt, who was supplemented to the Windy City Pace for $30,000 by his connections, has shown an affinity for half-mile ovals during his sophomore season with victories in the Messenger Stake at Yonkers, a win in the Cane Pace at Freehold, an impressive score in the Confederation Cup at Flamboro and a thrilling victory in the first heat of the Little Brown Jug at Delaware. His career mark of 1:49.4 was taken over the 5/8th's mile oval at The Meadows in an Adios Stake elimination.

"It doesn't matter to this colt what size track he's on," said Tim Tetrick who will once again be in the bike for the Windy City Pace. "The strategy with him is to try and make everyone else tired so they can't out sprint him on the back end of the mile."

After completing one of the richest single seasons in harness racing history If I Can Dream, who comes into Friday's tilt sporting a record of 11-3-1 in 20 starts with earnings of $1,631,129, will be headed to Kentuckiana Farms of New York for the 2010 breeding season.

"We are extremely excited that Bulletproof Enterprises has made the decision to retire If I Can Dream to the same farm that he was foaled and raised on," said Kentuckiana owner and farm manager Bob Brady. "We anticipate him having the same level of success that Western Terror has had."

Tom Kelley