Harold Queen's homebred 2-year-old colt Little Drama worked a sharp half-mile in 48 4/5 Sunday morning at Calder Casino & Race Course for trainer David Fawkes as he prepares for Saturday's $100,000 Affirmed Division of the Florida Stallion Stakes series, one of six $100,000 stakes to be run on the Juvenile Showcase program. Â
A half-brother to Queen's 4-year-old Big Drama, who swept the three ‘open' divisions of the Stallion Stakes in 2008, Little Drama disappointed last out when tiring to sixth of seven as the 1-to-2 favorite in the $100,000 Dr. Fager Division of the FSS on Aug. 7 run over a ‘sloppy' track at six furlongs.
Little Drama's time Sunday morning was the second fastest of 49 recorded at the distance. The son of Burning Roma was very impressive winning the $100,000 Frank Gomez Memorial Stakes by 9 ½ lengths in his previous start on July 10 after a runner-up debut, but did not appear comfortable dueling for the lead between horses down the backstretch in the Dr. Fager.
Fawkes had a big day Saturday with his Monmouth Park summer division as he sent out Alex and JoAnn Lieblong and partners' 4-year-old Duke of Mischief for a 16-to-1 upset victory in the $300,000 Philip H. Iselin Handicap (G3). The son of Graeme Hall scored by 2 ¼ lengths with former Calder champion jockey Eibar Coa aboard, who has ridden Little Drama in his last two starts.
Defeating Little Drama in his debut by a half-length on June 12 was Jacks or Better Farm's homebred Alley Oop Oop, who was making his third career start that day for trainer Stanley Gold, and he came back to finish a distant second to Little Drama in the Frank Gomez in his last start. A son of Monsieur Cat, Alley Oop Oop is eligible for the Affirmed and the $100,000 Seacliff Stakes going a mile around two turns Saturday.
Working Sunday morning for the $100,000 Susan's Girl Division was Gilbert Campbell's homebred 2-year-old filly Blue Eyed Sweetie with a half-mile in 49 3/5 for trainer Kathleen O'Connell. The daughter of West Acre has run well in all three starts at the meet, winning her debut on May 23, finishing third in the $100,000 JJ's Dream Stakes on July 10 and second last out in the $100,000 Desert Vixen Division of the FSS.
Winning both the JJ's Dream and Desert Vixen was Jacks or Better Farm's homebred Awesome Feather, who will likely be the solid choice in the Susan's Girl for trainer Stanley Gold. The daughter of Awesome of Course won the Desert Vixen by 4 ¾ lengths for her third victory in as many starts.
O'Connell also has Campbell's homebred filly My Sunshine Gal eligible for the Susan's Girl. Also a daughter of West Acre, My Sunshine Gal finished third in the Desert Vixen, a nose behind stablemate Blue Eyed Sweetie, and had held the lead at the eighth pole after dueling for the lead from the start while Awesome Feather tracked in third.
Campbell and O'Connell could have had yet another West Acre filly for the Stallion Stakes series this summer, but she was sold privately after a winning debut. O'Connell sent out Campbell's Cathy's Crunches to score by 9 ½ lengths for a $25,000 claiming tag on June 25 with no takers.
Not long after, California trainer Jerry Hollendorfer led a syndicate to purchase Cathy's Crunches privately and she has run twice since at Del Mar, winning a starter/allowance on July 28 and finishing third as the odds-on favorite in an allowance last Wednesday (Aug. 18). Hollendorfer and his partners did well buying another juvenile filly prospect after a winning Calder debut last year -- Blind Luck.
Also working Sunday morning for a probable start in the Susan's Girl was Half Hollow Stable's Beso Grande with a ‘bullet' five-eighths in 1:01 flat for trainer Steve DiMauro. The daughter of freshman sire Mass Media broke her maiden going the seven-furlong distance of the Susan's Girl on Aug. 8 after a third-place debut on Jul 17.
Awesome Feather, Blue Eyed Sweetie, Beso Grande and several other fillies eligible for the Susan's Girl are also nominated for the $100,000 Lindsay Frolic Stakes going a mile around two turns Saturday, the filly companion test to the Seacliff.