Donthelumbertrader wide open at Calder

MIAMI -- The absence of local division leader Bim Bam, who made an unproductive trip seeking richer pastures at Indiana Downs earlier in the week, has left the $55,000 Donthelumbertrader Stakes a wide open affair for the field of nine 3-year-olds on Monday's holiday program at Calder.

Four of the nine horses in the Donthelumbertrader finished behind Bim Bam in the one-mile Lord Juban four weeks earlier, including Saint Jude, who rallied from last and gave favored Bim Bam all he could handle before dropping a tough head decision.

Tannersville also rallied from far back and finished another 1 1/4 lengths behind in the Lord Juban while suffering the first setback in four career starts. Tannersville might have been closer to the top pair in the Lord Juban, his stakes debut, if not for having to check briefly and alter course in the vicinity of the sixteenth pole.

The speedy Omar's Tiger sprinted to a long lead but had little left when engaged by Bim Bam leaving the furlong grounds of the Lord Juban, but bounced back to easily defeat older entry-level allowance competition three weeks later. He should again have things all to himself on the front end on Monday.

Completing the lineup in the Donthelumbertrader are Flatter This, eighth in the Lord Juban, El Kingdom, Green Lite Special, El Cobre, River North, and Irish Wildcat.

Big Drama all set for Smile

Big Drama had his final tune-up for the Grade 2 Smile Sprint Handicap when he worked an easy half-mile in 49 seconds here early Saturday morning. Big Drama covered his opening quarter in 25 and final two furlongs in 24 under exercise rider Madeleine Sciametta.

"He did plenty," said trainer David Fawkes. "He galloped out strong, which is what we were looking for. He doesn't need a lot. He's super fit and super easy to train. He's screwed down tight right now."

Sciametta is the wife of trainer Todd Pletcher's Monmouth Park-based assistant Anthony Sciametta. Pletcher plans to run Go Go Shoot in the Smile.

Fawkes also breezed Big Drama's baby brother Little Drama five furlongs in 1:02.20 on Saturday. Little Drama, an unlucky second in his only start, will compete in the $100,000 Frank Gomez Memorial on Saturday's Summit of Speed undercard.

The fastest work on Saturday's tab belonged to Sincero, who zipped five-eighths in 59 for trainer Manny Azpurua. Sincero is also targeting the Smile. He was followed a short while later by Golden Mystery, who worked the same distance in 59.80 in preparation for the Grade 1 Princess Rooney Handicap.