Harold Queen's Sheer Drama (Burning Roma), an Eclipse Award finalist in the older filly/mare dirt division, will remain in training for a 6-year-old campaign, trainer David Fawkes confirmed Saturday.
“She'll get started up at Harold's farm and he'll put a little bottom on her and a get a little exercise into her,” the conditioner commented. “He might breeze her one time up there and when she's ready get her down here. Hopefully she'll be here in about a month.
Having visited the Florida-bred mare over the winter, Fawkes continued, “She looks great. Harold said she's running around the paddock and feeling great. He told me this morning she's kicking and bucking and playing. It's only January. We've got a long summer in front of us. We've got plenty of time.”
First or second in seven of her eight appearances in 2015, Sheer Drama won the GI Delaware H. and GI Personal Ensign S. back-to-back over the summer and was runner-up in the GI La Troienne S. at Churchill Downs. In her most recent appearance, she endured a wide trip and ran on to finish fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Keeneland Oct. 31. Fawkes anticipates a carbon copy of that campaign in 2016.
“We'll try to follow a similar pattern as last year,” he said. “I don't know if we can be ready for anything [at Gulfstream Park]. It would give me three months to get her ready for Churchill. I have to go up to Ocala at the end of the month for the races up there, and when I do I'll talk to Harold and we'll see.”
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