Sheer Drama Plays Spoiler in Personal Ensign
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Amid the hubbub around a potential budding rivalry between Untapable and Stopchargingmaria, Harold Queen's Sheer Drama played spoiler Aug. 29, defeating both in the $750,000 Personal Ensign Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course.
The 5-year-old daughter of Burning Roma, with Joe Bravo aboard, sat in the garden spot—four lengths back—as Untapable and Stopchargingmaria went to the front together in the 1 1/8-mile dirt test, passed those rivals coming out of the final turn, and pulled away steadily to win by 1 1/4 lengths in front of closing Got Lucky. Untapable held on for third, while Stopcharchingmaria tired to fourth.
"Joe rode a perfect race, which I asked him to do," winning trainer David Fawkes said. "I told him that most likely those two horses would go and to please sit behind them. It couldn't have gone any better. When I saw that neither of the other two was getting away from the other, it made me really comfortable. I loved the fact they were doing all of the work and that's how I hoped it would go."
Stopchargingmaria held about a half-length advantage over Untapable before Sheer Drama's move in the turn, setting fractions of :24.06, :47.72, and 1:11.51 through six furlongs. The three were in a line turning for home, but Bravo clearly had the most horse. Sheer Drama hit the wire in 1:49.05.
"We couldn't script it any better," Bravo said. "The race really set up great for us and everybody knows there were some of the best fillies in the country coming in here today."
The victory is Sheer Drama's second straight grade I, after a breakthrough score in the Delaware Handicap July 18, and now has an automatic berth to the Breeders' Cup Longines Distaff (gr. I) through the Personal Ensign's "Win and You're In" designation.
"She's getting better as she's getting older. She's maturing," Fawkes said. "She does everything right. We got our 'Win and You're In' and hopefully we're on our way to Keeneland now. Do I hope Beholder goes against the boys (Breeders' Cup Classic, gr. I)? Absolutely. But If I've got to (beat) her too, I'll do it."
Off as the 3-1 third choice, Sheer Drama paid $8.80, $4.40, and $3.40 across the board. Got Lucky brought $6.60 and $4.30, and Untapable delivered $3.10 to show.
America finished fifth, followed by Tiz Windy to complete the order of finish.
Bred in Florida, out of the Notebook mare Riveting Drama, Sheer Drama now has a 6-8-1 record from 19 starts with earnings of just more than $1.3 million.