Sano seeks Preakness weekend stakes success at Pimlico and Gulfstream

Just short of an hour before the 142nd running of the Preakness (G1), chances are Antonio Sano will be pacing outside the stakes barn at Pimlico Race Course. For a few minutes, Sano’s attention won’t be on his Preakness starter and Fountain of Youth (G2) winner Gunnevera, but rather Mar Racing Stable’s Hy Riverside, who goes to post in Saturday’s $100,000 Big Drama at Gulfstream Park.

“I’ll be watching on my phone,” said Sano, the South Florida-based trainer.

Hy Riverside will be one of 10 horses entered in Gulfstream’s seven-furlong event restricted to Florida-breds Saturday, a day which will feature a Preakness Party at Gulfstream. Fans attending receive a Preakness T-shirt with the purchase of a Daily Racing Form or Gulfstream Handicapper. There will also be Black-Eyed Susan cocktails available in a collectible Preakness glass for $10, a Ten Palms Preakness Buffet for $59, and spin-and-win drawings for XB Rewards members.

Hy Riverside comes into the Big Drama off a fourth-place finish April 30 in the Jeblar. The son of Macho Uno has raced against quality competition this year, finishing fifth in the Poseidon on Pegasus World Cup Day, eighth in the Hardacre Mile Gulfstream Park Handicap (G2) and Fred Hooper (G3), and fourth in the Skip Away (G3).

“He’s doing very well,” Sano said. “His work the other day was very good. We think he’ll run good in a race for Florida breds. I’m happy with the way he’s training.”

The 4-1 tepid morning-line choice in the Big Drama is Quijote, a 4-year-old owned by Midwest Thoroughbreds ridden by Tyler Gaffalione. The multiple stakes-placed son of Pomeroy comes into the Big Drama off a fourth-place finish in the Bill Thomas Memorial at Sunland Park. The gelded dark bay finished second last year in the Jimmy Winkfield at Aqueduct and was fourth at the Fair Grounds in November in the Thanksgiving Handicap.

French Quarter, trained by David Fawkes, the conditioner of Big Drama, will have Elvis Trujillo in the saddle. A winner of $261,000, French Quarter was third Florida Derby Day in the Sir Shackleton Stakes. He was beaten a neck in an allowance optional claimer April 23.