If I Can Dream returns to the races for the first time since winning last month's $600,000 Breeders Crown at Toronto's Woodbine Racetrack. He won the $421,850 Art Rooney Pace at Yonkers earlier this season, and has 10 wins in 19 career starts.
His earnings of $1,360,099 rank second among pacers this year.
The 54th edition of the Messenger is comprised of seven 3-year-olds, four colts and three geldings. If I Can Dream is the 3-5 morning-line favorite, coupled with Straight Shooting. Other favorites include Hypnotic Blue Chip and Clear Vision.
Yellow Diamond, sharing the same owner and trainer as If I Can Dream, is the early favorite for Saturday night's $364,430 final of the Lady Maud Pace for 3-year-old fillies. Like her stablemate, Yellow Diamond has earned more than $1 million this season.
