Sheer Drama puts in Final Work for Ballerina

Grade 1 winner Sheer Drama had her final work Friday morning for the Grade 1, $500,000 Ballerina on August 26. The Ballerina is a designated "Win and You're In" race for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Santa Anita November 4.

With jockey Joe Bravo in the saddle, Sheer Drama covered five furlongs in 1:01.87 on the main track.

David Fawkes, who trains the 6-year-old mare for her breeder, Harold L. Queen, was on hand for the move.

"It was a maintenance work, with a nice finish," Fawkes said. "I was happy with it. Joe was happy with it, too."

Sheer Drama won last year's Grade 1 Personal Ensign, a 1 1/8-mile race around two turns at Saratoga. Her only victory since then has come at seven furlongs - the distance of the Ballerina - in the Grade 1 Madison at Keeneland this past April.

Fawkes said it may be that Sheer Drama, who finished fourth in last year's Breeders' Cup Distaff, has reached the stage in her career where she is better sprinting.

"Her biggest Beyer [100] number was sprinting, going seven-eighths at Keeneland in the Madison," Fawkes said. "The last couple of times she ran going longer, she didn't have that kick she had in that seven-eighths race. I think this is a good opportunity to turn back."

And there is another reason that Fawkes is bullish on keeping Sheer Drama, a earner of $1.6 million, racing around one turn, with an eye toward the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.

"Honestly, I also think the distaff group is really, really tough this year," he said. "There's a lot of nice horses in that division this year. It is definitely a different group than it was last year. I don't think we are going the wrong way; I think we are going a new way."

Source: NYRA Communications