Preakness Stakes: Big Drama has nose for winner's circle | Denton Record Chronicle | News for Denton County, Texas

Preakness Stakes: Big Drama has nose for winner's circle

12:39 AM CDT on Friday, May 15, 2009

Associated Press

BALTIMORE – Until the decision was made last week to run Rachel Alexandra in Saturday's Preakness Stakes at Pimlico, Big Drama had loomed as the most promising new shooter, a horse who skips the Kentucky Derby to aim for the Preakness.

Trained by David Fawkes for owner Harold Queen, Big Drama has a nose for the winner's circle.

After finishing third in his debut last July at Calder in Florida, Big Drama reeled off five straight wins, including the $750,000 Delta Jackpot on Dec. 5 in Louisiana.

He missed most of the 3-year-old prep races this spring with a bone bruise, returning for the Swale Stakes at Gulfstream Park on March 28. True to form, Big Drama again finished first – only to be disqualified to second for a bumping incident in the stretch.

Big Drama had more than enough graded stakes earnings to qualify for the Derby, but owner Harold Queen and Fawkes decided to wait.

"We just kind of felt it wasn't the right thing to do," Fawkes said.

After watching Mine That Bird win the Derby at 50-1, Fawkes said he was ready to turn Big Drama into a Preakness contender.

"When they crossed the wire, I was already on the phone to Mr. Queen and said, 'I think we need to go to the Preakness,' " Fawkes said.

Big Drama is 10-1 on the morning line with John Velazquez aboard for the first time, replacing Eibar Coa, who retained the mount on third-place Derby finisher Musket Man.

Rachel walks: Rachel Alexandra had a very quiet day Thursday, walking under the barn enclosure the morning after she was shipped to Pimlico from Kentucky.

"The main thing is just keeping her happy," said Scott Blasi, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen of Arlington.

Blasi said Rachel Alexandra will gallop today.

Looking wet: The forecast for Preakness Day calls for scattered thunderstorms with a high of 80 degrees.

Another moist track would greatly help Mine That Bird, the 50-1 Kentucky Derby winner who thrived in the slop at Churchill Downs.

"We could live with that," trainer Bennie Woolley Jr. said.

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