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Big Drama becomes a Charles Town Legend

Big Drama made some noise at Charles Town on Saturday (Melissa Wirth/Horsephotos.com) Harold L. Queen's homebred BIG DRAMA (Montbrook) got back on the winning track Saturday night at Charles Town, easily taking the co-featured $250,000 Red Legend S. by seven lengths under jockey Eibar Coa to become racing's newest millionaire, having now earned $1,067,250 to go along with his 9-6-1-1 record. Coa was content to settle Big Drama off the pace, allowing longshots Forty Thieves (Read the Footnotes), Ju Jitsu Jax (Tiger Ridge) and Gabriel's Smile (Five Star Day) to duke it out through the opening quarter in :23 1/5. Moving up to the outside of Forty Thieves, who ran a half-mile in :46 3/5, Big Drama grabbed the lead in the stretch and began pouring it on, easily distancing himself from his rivals while completing the seven-furlong, fast track event in 1:24. Big Drama was briefly considered for the Kentucky Derby (G1) earlier in the year, but after kicking himself in his stall and undergoing minor surgery, the David Fawkes trainee missed several weeks of training and was ruled out of the Run for the Roses. He returned to competition in the March 28 Swale S. (G2), scoring in that seven-furlong test before being disqualified to second after a bumping match with This Ones For Phil (Untuttable), who was elevated to first, in the stretch. That ended the dark bay's five-race win streak that began when he broke his maiden in his second career start last August.

The sophomore tried the 1 3/16-mile Preakness S. (G1) in his start prior to this one, but was restless in the gate and bobbled at the start. He nonetheless went up to battle Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d'Oro) for the lead, but could never get past the star filly and eventually faded to fifth. Big Drama captured all three legs of the Florida Stallion series last year, winning at distances from six furlongs to 1 1/16 miles, and rounded out his juvenile campaign with a victory in the Delta Jackpot S. (G3).

The Red Legend shared the Saturday spotlight with the $250,000 Charles Town Invitational Dash H., which went to Happy Hour Stable's TRUST OR BUST (Trust N Luck), who moved his current win streak to five straight. Taking on the likes of Grade 3 winner Ikigai (Whywhywhy) in the 4 1/2-furlong sprint, the Paul McClelland charge dueled for the early lead, took over in upper stretch and pulled away to win by 2 1/4 lengths under jockey Gerald Almodovar.

Trust or Bust, who came home in :51, had already added the Webb Snyder S. and Panhandle H. to his line earlier, and entered this one off a 2 1/4-length track-and-distance victory against allowance foes. His mark now stands at 16-7-5-2 and he's accumulated $350,220 in lifetime earnings.

Suarez Racing Inc., Joseph Besecker and Kirk Wycoff's NO ADVANTAGE (Posse) wasn't able to factor in the lucrative Charles Town Classic on April 18, running fifth in that $615,000 event, but was shipped to Pimlico next out to capture the William Donald Schaefer S. (G3) by 2 3/4 lengths. Trainer Stephanie Beattie turned around and sent the dark bay four-year-old back to Charles Town for Saturday evening's $100,000 Wild and Wonderful S., and this time the colt delivered a one-length score with Brandon Whitacre taking back the mount.

No Advantage stalked the early pace while saving ground on the rail and began his run rounding the turn. He angled out three wide at the three-sixteenths pole, then angled back toward the inside to run down the leaders, drawing off to finish seven furlongs in 1:24 2/5. Third in last year's Kentucky Cup Sprint S. (G3), No Advantage improved his record to 14-6-1-2 having now earned $225,960.

One race earlier in the $100,000 Lady Charles Town S., Padua Stables' homebred JULIET'S SPIRIT (Exchange Rate) gave jockey Larry Sterling Jr. his first stakes victory since breaking his wrist last September at Kentucky Downs. Trainer Steve Asmussen saddled the bay lass to her third black-type score and first this season, as she also captured the My Dear S. and Ontario Debutante S. at Woodbine last season.

Breaking from the 2 post on Saturday, the sophomore miss pressed the early pace, came wide around the turn and took command to go on and post a 1 1/4-length triumph. By stopping the clock in :51 1/5, Juliet's Spirit now boasts a 6-4-0-0 mark having banked $270,084.

James S. Carter's homebred BEWARE OF THE BOP (Bop) began the evening's stakes action, earning his fourth straight victory when taking the $50,000 Fancy Buckles S. for West Virginia-bred fillies and mares by 1 3/4 lengths under jockey Larry Reynolds. Trained by Tim Grams, the three-year-old chestnut completed 4 1/2 furlongs in :51 3/5 to move his line to 9-5-2-1, $131,254, having won the It's Binn Too Long S. prior to this race.

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