Stud El Aguila's Florida homebred 3-year-old colt Don Tito had ‘sheets' players or ‘figs' aficionados abuzz after the chestnut colt broke his maiden by 6 ¼ lengths in 1:10 2/5 for six furlongs at Calder Casino & Race Course on Aug. 13 for trainer Marty Wolfson, and will be the horse to beat if he starts in Sunday's optional/allowance feature.
Sunday's race is scheduled for five furlongs on turf and Wolfson has named jockey Kristi Chapman to ride Don Tito after leading Calder jockey Luis Saez was aboard for his first two starts. In one outing prior to his brilliant maiden score, the son of Trippi finished fourth in a five-furlong maiden turf dash after a poor start, beaten 2 ¾ lengths by the winner.
Saez is named to ride James Elacqua's 4-year-old gelding Carte Blanche in Sunday's race for trainer David Fawkes. The son of Put It Back finished a close-up fourth last out in a similar turf sprint on Aug. 1, beaten 1 ¼ lengths for it all. Carte Blanche won a ‘two other than' allowance at five furlongs on turf earlier in the meet, but is eligible for Sunday's test because he is entered for the $16,000 claiming tag.
Also entered for the tag in the field of eight is Joel Sainer's 5-year-old gelding Joey the Scholar with jockey Olmedo Pitti named to ride for trainer Dave Braddy. The son of Double Honor won a similar race over the course on Aug. 1 and just missed when second by three-quarters of a length last out on Aug. 20.
Completing the field are Steve Budhoo's Starship Steve, Jose A. Rivera II; Olive and Oswald Lee's Prince of Song, Macelin Manickram; Faiz Khan International's Hit the Cycle, Juan Delgado; Dubis Chaparro's Whodidntknowthat, Bernardo Monticelli; and Randy Zeldman's Deputy Dance, Manoel Cruz.
Summit of Speed Star Big Drama in Forego at Spa Saturday
Harold Queen's 4-year-old colt Big Drama won the $350,000 Smile Sprint Handicap (G2) by 1 ¼ lengths on Summit of Speed day at Calder Casino & Race Course on July 10 for trainer David Fawkes over Mambo Meister, and takes a big step toward his connections' goal of running him in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) at Churchill Downs as he runs in Saturday's $250,000 Forego Stakes (G1) at Saratoga.
Big Drama is making his second trip to the Spa since winning the Smile Sprint as he finished a good second in the $150,000 A.G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G2) there on Aug. 8 behind wire-to-wire winner Majesticperfection. Fawkes brought Big Drama home to Calder after that race and had considered waiting until the $400,000 Vosburgh Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park in early October to run him back.
However, after the Montbrook colt worked five furlongs in 1:02 1/5 here last Sunday morning and looking at the options, it was decided to make the trip back to Saratoga for the seven-furlong Forego. Big Drama will get plenty of support in the race, but the probable favorite in the race is Godolphin's 4-year-old colt Vineyard Haven, who won his career debut at Calder in June of 2008 before being sold privately.
Quantum Racing Team # 1's 5-year-old gelding Mambo Meister ran very well to finish only 1 ½ lengths behind Big Drama in the Smile Sprint for trainer Phil Gleaves. The multiple Graded stakes-winner also earned a trip to Saratoga for a chance in the A.G. Vanderbilt, but did not fare as well as Big Drama, finishing sixth after racing much closer to the fast pace than normal for his style.
Gleaves elected to leave Mambo Meister at Saratoga after the race while he and his owners considered options that included the Forego, but have chosen a trip to Erie, Pa. to run in the $250,000 Presque Isle Breeders' Cup Mile on Sat., Sept. 10. Mambo Meister worked five furlongs in 1:01 flat last Sunday at Saratoga.
"He shipped over there today," said Gleaves at Calder Thursday afternoon just before heading to the winners' circle after saddling Russell Reineman's Stable's 4-year-old filly Arctic Eva for a wire-to-wire victory in the seventh race turf allowance. "I'll be going out there myself tomorrow (Friday). Kent Desormeaux will ride."
Mambo Meister will likely use the Presque Isle race as a tune-up for a repeat bid in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Churchill Downs on Sat., Nov. 6. The son of King Cugat finished a good fifth in the race last fall at Santa Anita when beaten only two lengths by the winner after encountering trouble in the stretch run.
A big difference this year will be that the Dirt Mile was run around two turns on the Pro-Ride synthetic surface at Santa Anita, but will be contested around one turn on dirt at Churchill. Mambo Meister earned his spot in the Breeders' Cup last year winning the $100,000 Spend A Buck Handicap (G3) at Calder three weeks before, a scenario that could play out again when the Spend A Buck is run on Festival of the Sun day, Sat., Oct. 16.