9/5/11
Last updated: 9/4/11 7:18 PM
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Big Drama made a winning
return at Calder in the Whippleton
(Jim Lisa Photos) |
Harold Queen’s 2010 Eclipse champion sprinter BIG DRAMA (Montbrook) returned from a
layoff of more than 6 1/2 months with a very impressive 2 1/4-length victory in the
$75,000 Whippleton
S. on Sunday at Calder Race Course, a race that
should put him on track to defend his title in the $1.5 million Breeders’ Cup
Sprint (G1) at Churchill Downs on November 5.
“I was relieved when they (Calder
officials) got the race to go and we didn’t have to ship (Monmouth Park for the Icecapade
S.), but I’m even more relieved now, and he did it without a shoe
(left fore),” trainer David Fawkes said by phone from Saratoga. “We think he might have lost it leaving the gate.”
With jockey Daniel Centeno aboard, Big Drama
broke from the one-post in the field of just four after three scratches and sat
second behind a first quarter in :22 down the backstretch of the 6 1/2-furlong test. He took command easily into the far turn and held a safe margin
over second-choice Black Cat Diamond (Wildcat Heir) to the wire in 1:17 3/5 over the fast
track.
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“I never rode this horse before, but I had the opportunity to
breeze him and between that and today I can tell you what a great feeling it is
to ride this him,” Centano said. “I think he was very fit today, but he needed this race to get
him over the top. I appreciate and feel very fortunate to have been given the
chance to ride such a special and talented racehorse and I can only hope that I
would be considered to ride him in the future.”
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Big Drama is now headed to the Vosburgh
(Jim Lisa Photos) |
Peace at Dawn (Peace Rules) and Accredit (E Dubai) completed the order of
finish after the scratches of D’ Funnybone (D’wildcat), How’s Your Halo (Halo’s
Image) and Double Judge (D’wildcat).
“The fractions were
legitimate (:22, :45 4/5 and 1:10 4/5),” Fawkes said. “Danny and (former regular
rider) Eibar (Coa) are friends
and Eibar told him to ride him with confidence and he did. After he made the
lead, he just coasted home. It was all very smooth. He’ll stay down there and
train and then be flown up here (Belmont Park) the week of the (October 2) Vosburgh (G1).”
The race marked Big Drama’s first start since
winning the Mr. Prospector S. (G3) at Gulfstream Park on January 15 in
track record time for six furlongs, his only appearance since sealing his
Eclipse championship campaign winning the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Churchill last
November 6.
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The five-year-old Florida homebred ran his career record to
18-11-4-21 and earnings of nearly $2,746,060.
