Vineyard Haven, Big Drama set for Grade 1 race at Saratoga
The last time Vineyard Haven ran in a Grade 1 race at Saratoga, the Florida-bred colt crossed the finish line first in the King’s Bishop Stakes in August 2009 but was disqualified and placed second for bumping Capt. Candyman Can. On Saturday, Vineyard Haven can make amends in the $250,000 Forego Stakes (G1) at the New York track, but the task won’t be easy.
The seven-furlong Forego drew a deep field of 11 3-year-olds and up, including Florida-bred Big Drama, who dug in gamely to be second in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G2) at Saratoga last month.
Vineyard Haven, bred by trainer Lynne Scace at Double S Farm in Ocala, made his 2010 debut at Saratoga in July, winning the $75,000 James Marvin Stakes by 1 ¾ lengths in front-running fashion. The son of Lido Palace is a three-time Grade 1 winner, having taken the Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga and the Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park as a juvenile in 2008 before adding last year’s Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash at Laurel Park.
Vineyard Haven and Girolamo, both trained by Saeed bin Suroor for Godolphin Stable, form a coupled entry and are the 2-1 morning-line favorites for the Forego. Vineyard Haven drew the No. 2 post under usual rider Alan Garcia, while Girolamo will have Cornelio Velasquez aboard when he starts from the No. 3 post.
Rick Mettee, an assistant to Godolphin’s head trainer, said Vineyard Haven is poised for a strong fall campaign. Following his win in the James Marvin, the colt turned in three workouts at Saratoga, most recently breezing six furlongs in 1:12 2/5 last Saturday.
“We got the comeback race we wanted, and he’s had a few good workouts since that race,” Mettee said.
Vineyard Haven has won five of his nine starts for $746,500. A fourth-place finish in the United Arab Emirates 2000 Guineas (G3) in Dubai in February 2009 is the only time he’s finished out of the money.
His stablemate, Girolamo, will be cutting back in distance after winning the Jerome Handicap (G2) going a mile at Belmont last October before finishing last in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Santa Anita. However, the son of A. P. Indy is 2-for-3 at seven furlongs, having won a $62,000 maiden special weight race in 2008 and a $52,000 allowance, both at Saratoga.
“He’s won at seven-eighths before, and we’re going to keep him in races on the dirt between six furlongs and a mile,” said Mettee.
The co-second choices for the Forego at 4-1 are Big Drama and Bribon, who got to know each other quite well in the Vanderbilt on Aug. 8. In that six-furlong sprint, Big Drama stalked the pace of the victorious Majesticperfection in second place and seemed ready to fold at the top of the stretch as Bribon began to close, but Big Drama fought on valiantly and held off that rival to finish second.
“He showed a lot of heart,” said Big Drama’s trainer, David Fawkes. “A lot of horses would have collapsed, but he showed courage. He’s doing good, and that’s why we’re here. We’re here to try to win.”
Big Drama, a homebred for Ocala’s Harold Queen, earned a Grade 3 win in the Delta Jackpot at Delta Downs in December 2008 and got a Grade 2 victory in the Smile Sprint Handicap at Calder in July. He’ll aim for his first Grade 1 score Saturday when he breaks from the No. 4 post under usual rider Eibar Coa.
Two of Big Drama’s most impressive performances have come at seven furlongs. He finished first in the Swale Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park in March 2009 but was disqualified and placed second after bumping Florida-bred This Ones for Phil. Big Drama earned a 108 Beyer Speed Figure that day, tying for the highest mark of his career. He also earned a 108 in the Vanderbilt.
Big Drama also scored a 105 Beyer while winning the seven-furlong $250,000 Red Legend Stakes by seven lengths at Charles Town last summer.
Bribon, the winner of the True North Handicap (G2) at Belmont in June, drew the rail under Garrett Gomez.
The field also includes Here Comes Ben (10-1), Charitable Man (12-1), Omniscient (12-1), Starforaday (30-1), Warrior’s Reward (6-1), Checklist (15-1) and You and I Forever (20-1).
Warrior’s Reward is 3-for-5 at the seven-furlong distance, including a win in the Carter Handicap (G1) at Aqueduct in April. He most recently was sixth behind Quality Road in the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) at Belmont in May.
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