BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Florida-bred Drama Chorus will make his third attempt at the $50,000 Brooks Fields Mile for 3-year-olds and older on the Canterbury Park turf Saturday night. The 7-year-old gelding was second to Tuts Revenge in the 2022 Brooks Fields that was taken off the turf and sixth in last year’s edition won by Fuerteventura.
After last year’s Brooks Fields, trainer Tim Padilla gave Drama Chorus nine months away from the track before returning him in a top level, $100,000 optional claiming at Tampa Bay Downs on April 7. Drama Chorus led throughout much of the mile-and-a-sixteenth on the turf before surrendering to winner Eyes On the King in the stretch and finishing second.
He then traveled to Canterbury Park and finished third behind Brooks Fields rivals That’s Not Funny and Tonka Warrior in a top level, $30,000 optional claiming going a mile on the turf on June 2.
Drama Chorus has won nine with eight seconds and three thirds in 33 career starts while earnings $347,442 for owner and breeder Peter D. Mattson. By Big Drama out of the Scat Daddy mare Missmollybygolly, he is a two-time winner of the $110,000 Grey Goose Turf Classic on Florida Cup Day at Tampa Bay Downs in 2022 and 2023.
Alonso Quinonez, who has ridden Drama Chorus in 21 previous races, gets the return mount. They have post three and are 6-1 on the morning line.
Golden Bandit will try for his second straight victory at Canterbury Park having won a second condition, $20,000 optional claiming on the turf by seven-and-a-quarter lengths in his last race on June 13.
The Coty Rosin-trained son of Midnight Lute won the $100,000 Canterbury Derby going a mile on the turf last year in June but was subsequently unsuccessful in two stakes in Kentucky. He was ninth in the $200,000 Preview of the Dueling Grounds Derby at Ellis Park in August and 12th in the Grade 2 Exacta Systems Franklin-Simpson at Kentucky Downs in September.
Golden Bandit has won three of 13 career starts with three seconds while earning $132,900 for owners Barry Butzow and Joni Butzow. He is the 5-2 morning line favorite and will be ridden by Luis A. Fuentes from post eight.
Rosin will also saddle That’s Not Funny, a five-time winner over the Canterbury turf, for owners Rick and Terry Engel and Greg Armatys. In addition to his aforementioned last race, his previous win came against second level, $25,000 optional claimers going a mile last June.
That’s Not Funny has career earnings of $133,536 from 12 starts and is 6-1 on the morning line.
He will be ridden by Luis Quinonez from post five.
Trainer McLean Robertson trains Tonka Warrior, who has post 10 and is 8-1 in the program. Fourth in last year’s Brooks Fields, the 5-year-old gelding has won five of 18 career races with four seconds and four thirds while banking $282,175.
He will be ridden from post 10 by Constantino Roman.
Completing the field are Rockstar Road, who will be ridden by Chad Lindsay; Keenebec with Brayan Pena named to ride, Silent Post and jockey Eduardo Gallardo, Deflater with rider Kelsi Harr and Xavey Dave will be ridden by Serafin Carmona. Fausto Da Silva is named on Unified Dreams, who is entered as main track only.
