San Luis Rey

Gary Tanaka's newest millionaire KING'S DRAMA (Ire) (King's Theatre [Ire])

swept three-wide turning for home and powered clear to a convincing 2 1/2-length

tally in the $200,000

San Luis Rey H. (G2) over the firm turf course at Santa

Anita on Saturday. Ridden by Jon Court, the winner broke well and rated in third

early as the pacesetter Wild Buddy (Line in the Sand) was running free of the pack through splits of :24 4/5, :48

1/5, 1:12 3/5 and 1:37 4/5 for the opening mile. As the field bunched and turned

for home, King's Drama quickly spurted to a lead and was never seriously

challenged from there, completing the 1 1/2-mile marathon in 2:26 2/5 for

trainer Bobby Frankel. Sent off as the 3-5 shot while coupled with Atlando (Ire)

(Hernando [Fr]), the six-year-old gelding gave back $3.20, $2.20 and $2.10 while

topping the skimpy $1 exotics of $3.30 (exacta), $28.10 (trifecta) and $96.10

(1-9-6-3 superfecta).

T. H. Approval (With Approval) put in his customary solid late charge, but

fell one length shy of the top one. The 5-2 second choice returned $2.80 and

$2.10. The longtime leader Wild Buddy re-rallied after being passed in the

stretch and gamely preserved the show spot, worth $2.10 as the 35-1 longshot. Atlando was

another half-length back and followed by Eastern Sand (Line in the Sand), One

Off (GB) (Barathea [Ire]) and Golden Rahy (Rahy). Bullistic (Holy Bull), Totally

Platinum (Dynaformer) and Balustrade (Green Dancer) were withdrawn.

King's Drama returned to his winning ways after a two-race skid, and moved

his career mark to 28-9-6-6 with a bankroll of $1,007,916. He adds this score to

a resume that includes tallies in the Sword Dancer Invitational S. (G1), Red

Smith H. (G2) and the Prix de la Jonchere (Fr-G3), with placings in the Man

o' War S. (G1) and San Luis Obispo H. (G2).

Bred in Ireland by Kilfrush Stud Ltd, the winning bay is out of the stakes-placed Last Drama (Last Tycoon [Ire]) and was preceded in stakes glory by his

half-brother Self Feeder (Ire) (Lycius).