Calder Horses Account for Two Breeders’ Cup Races

Calder Horses Account for Two Breeders’ Cup Races
 
November 10, 2010
By Kent H. Stirling, FHBPA Executive Director
 
 
After Calder horses had displayed their mettle at their home track in July by accounting for six of the seven Summit of Speed races, they displayed it again in this years Breeders’ Cup.  Ironically they did it with the same trainers that had won Summit of Speed Stakes.  Stanley Gold had saddled Fred Brei’s Awesome Feather to win the five and half furlong JJ’s Dream Stake for two year old fillies.  Trainer David Fawkes also won on Summit of Speed day but he won twice.  First, he did it with the little brother of Big Drama, aptly named Little Drama, who won the Frank Gomez Stake by ten lengths.  Fawkes then unleashed older brother, Big Drama, in the very tough Grade II Smile Sprint to capture the event by 1 1/2 lengths.
 
I concluded my Horsemen’s Journal article on the Summit of Speed by stating, “Calder’s top purses may not rank with the best, but its horses certainly do”.  This was clearly proven true in the Breeders’ Cup.
 
In the $2,000,000 Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, the undefeated (five for five) Awesome Feather took on three Grade 1 winners and five others who were placed in Graded I Stakes.  She didn’t let that phase her as she stalked the pace under regular rider, Jeffrey Sanchez, until the quarter pole when she engaged Todd Pletcher’s R Heat Lightning. Sanchez let her move at the head of the stretch and then hand rode her to a 2 ¼ length victory while Vasquez aboard the game R Heat Lightning whipped steadily and stayed with Awesome Feather until she switched to her left lead and drew off inside the sixteenth pole.
 
In the $2,000,000 Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint, David Fawkes’ Big Drama, who was dismissed by many when he drew the rail, rushed to the lead under Eiber Coa who floated him out to the three path as soon as he reached the lead and left him there for the duration of the race.  Coa asked for more from Harold Queen’s Big Drama at the head of the lane, and Big Drama willingly increased his lead from one length to three before settling for a length and a half victory, paying $12.40.  Big Drama won his first Grade I Stake at the expense of there previous Grade I winners this year.
 
Calder is proud of both horses and their connections as pictured on our hurricane battered HBPA sign.
 
Both horses should bring Eclipse Awards back to Calder in January.