Heading into Saturday’s $150,000 Swale Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park, there was little doubt that the best horse in the field was a stakes-winning Florida-bred. But after a controversial and crowd-pleasing stretch duel between This Ones for Phil and Big Drama, it’s still not clear which Sunshine State product deserves to be called No. 1.
Big Drama finished half a length ahead of This Ones for Phil and stopped the clock for the seven-furlong race in 1:20.88, breaking the track record of 1:21.11 set by Exclusive Quality three years ago. But while running just ahead of This Ones for Phil during the whole stretch run, Big Drama twice drifted out toward his rival and brushed up against him, leading to a stewards’ inquiry that reversed the order of finish.
The loss snapped Big Drama’s five-racing winning streak and was his first defeat since a third-place finish in his career debut last July at Calder Race Course. Following Saturday’s race, trainer David Fawkes wouldn’t complain about the ruling, though he was visibly frustrated after seeing his horse turn in a winning effort only to take home second-place prize money.
“I’m very proud of the horse – I’m just disappointed,” Fawkes said. “He set a track record, so I’d have to be an idiot not to be pleased, but he did make contact with him. He’s a nice horse. What I saw was a new track record, and I got taken down. Should he have stayed up? I don’t know. I have to watch it again.”
Big Drama was running for the first time since capturing the Delta Jackpot (G3) at Delta Downs in December. His 3-year-old debut had been delayed until Saturday because he had kicked himself in his left hind leg while in his stall in January, causing a bone bruise that required surgery.
Last year, Big Drama became the first horse to sweep the open division of the Florida Stallion Stakes at Calder since Sir Oscar in 2003, and in the Swale, he proved that he’s not a one-season wonder. Fawkes said he expected his colt to run a big race despite a layoff of almost four months, and the horse delivered, gaining a lead early in the race, with This Ones for Phil running just behind him.
This Ones for Phil made his move at the top of the stretch, but Big Drama responded the same way he did when challenged by West Side Bernie in the Delta Jackpot, digging in and never relinquishing his lead. Garrett Gomez, who was riding This Ones for Phil for the first time, said he might have been able to overtake the leader had his horse not been interfered with.
“The horse ran a beautiful race,” Gomez said of This Ones for Phil. “We got a good break. I was asking the horse for a little at the (half-mile) point, and we got going some. (Big Drama) clearly bumped me. All you have to do is watch the tape. In fact, he bumped me twice. He did it at the eighth pole and again about 50 yards before the wire.”
This Ones for Phil returned mutuels of $5.20, $3 and $2.40 as the favorite in the field of six 3-year-olds. Big Drama returned $3 and $2.20, while Custom for Carlos paid $2.80 after finishing third, 4 ½ lengths behind Big Drama.
Big Drama has now earned $890,250 from seven starts to rank second among all horses sired by Ocala Stud Farm stallion Montbrook, whose top earner is Shake You Down at $1.44 million. Fawkes said he and Ocala’s Harold Queen, who bred and owns the horse, would discuss future plans for Big Drama in the next few days.
The victory was the second major score of the year for This Ones for Phil, who set a 116 Beyer Speed Figure in winning the Sunshine Millions Dash at Gulfstream Park in January, his first race for trainer Rick Dutrow. The gelding had finished fifth behind Florida Derby champion Quality Road in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at Hallandale Beach last month, having tired and lost the lead in that one-mile contest.
This Ones for Phil was bred by Gilbert Campbell’s Stonehedge Farm South operation in Williston as a son of resident stallion Untuttable. He had finished fifth behind Big Drama in both the $100,000 Dr. Fager and $400,000 In Reality divisions of the Florida Stallion Stakes last year but was able to earn his first stakes victory in the $60,000 Seacliff Stakes at Calder in September.
This Ones for Phil, owned by a group that includes Paul Pompa Jr., has won four of his 11 starts for $325,340.
