BIG DRAMA – Jockey John Velazquez and Big Drama got acquainted at Pimlico Monday morning during a four-furlong workout that was timed in 50 seconds. The pair galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.60 in preparation for the Preakness Stakes.
Although the clocking wasn’t eye-catching, Velazquez was suitably impressed with the son of Montbrook.
“He did everything very, very easy. I just wanted to get a little feel for him. He was going to the pole a little bit strong, so I wanted to be a little cautious with him. The race is pretty close right now,” the New York-based jockey said.
“The reason I started slow was because he was going strong to the (half-mile) pole. I didn’t want him to do too much. If I let him go too fast the first part, I’d have no control of him. I wanted to have control of him to have him do what I wanted him to do, not him controlling me,” added Velazquez, who inherited his Preakness mount when Eibar Coa opted to stick with Kentucky Derby third-place finisher Musket Man.
Big Drama, who made a little jump over a spot in the track at the top of the stretch that had different harrow marks than the rest of the track, otherwise appeared to move well over the Pimlico racing surface.
“He didn’t want to leave his race on the track. I’d rather have (50 seconds) than go out there and go 46 (seconds) and get sick to your stomach,” trainer David Fawkes said. “He galloped out good. He’s fit. It was just maintenance.”
Velazquez said he was “shocked’ that Calvin Borel made a commitment to ride Rachel Alexandra instead of Mine That Bird in the Preakness, but that he could identify with him. Velazquez made a switch to Rags to Riches before her historic victory in the 2007 Belmont Stakes.
“I know the feeling that he has,” said Velazquez. “I jumped off another horse to ride her, because of the quality of horse that she was. So I already did it once. I didn’t win on that horse before, but I was committed to another horse. I just think he knows the filly has the quality to win this race. She’s showing the potential to do what Rags to Riches did.”