Sheer Drama draws clear late in Delaware Handicap triumph

In a reverse finish of Churchill Downs’ grade two Fleur de Lis Handicap back in June, Sheer Drama tracked the pace set by Frivolous. At the top of the stretch, Sheer Drama engaged that rival and edged clear to post a determined two length victory in the Grade 1 Delaware Handicap.

At the break, Frivolous was sharpest of all and went straight out to set the pace. Sheer Drama moved up to run second, followed by Flashy American and America. As Frivolous led the field through splits of :24.45, :48.83, and 1:12.57, little changed in the running order except for Rosalind to take over the fourth running position from America and Joint Return and Fortune Pearl to trade off sixth and seventh.

At the quarter pole, Sheer Drama had cut Frivolous’ lead to just a head as the two fillies pulled away from their rivals in a two horse battle to the wire. Inside the final furlong, Sheer Drama was able to poke her head in front, but Frivolous was not going to give up without a fight. She continued to battle on to the inside until the final sixteenth when Sheer Drama had finally had enough. Kicking it up another notch, Sheer Drama edged past Frivolous once and for all to win by two lengths going away in a final time of 2:01.58 for the mile and a quarter event.

Frivolous was a clear second, and America finished third. Flashy American, Rosalind, Joint Return and Fortune Pearl completed the order of finish.

Off 5-2 odds, Sheer Drama paid $7.00/$3.80/$3.00 for the win, in which she reversed the exacta finish from the G2 Fleur de Lis Handicap, her last start. Frivolous, 9-2, returned $5.60/$3.80 for the place, and America returned $4.60 for the show. The $2 exacta paid $33.20, the $2 trifecta returned $186.60 and the $1 superfecta was worth $311.90.

By Burning Roma and out of the Notebook mare Riveting Drama, Sheer Drama is a homebred for owner Harold L. Queen. She is trained by David Fawkes, and Joe Bravo was aboard for today’s victory at Delaware Park. She’s a full sister to multiple graded stakes placed Little Drama and a half-sister to Grade 1 winner and 2010 Champion Sprinter Big Drama; both were also homebreds for Mr. Queen. While finding the winner’s circle for just the second time this year, Sheer Drama improved her career record to 18: 5-8-1 for total purses earnings of $918,840. This was just her second graded win, the first coming in the G2 Royal Delta Stakes earlier this year. She also ran second in the G3 Rampart, the G1 La Troienne and the G2 Fleur de Lis this year.