Joseph duo swap roles in Sheer Drama
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Indy Bay was the highweight and odds-on favorite, with Kerry’s Kiss a bit of an unknown factor, when the two Saffie Joseph Jr. trainees met for the first time earlier this summer in the Musical Romance Stakes. But after Kerry’s Kiss registered a convincing and well-graded 2 3/4-length victory over her more fancied stablemate, those roles could be reversed when the pair meet again as the horses to beat Saturday at Gulfstream Park in the $100,000 Sheer Drama Handicap.
The seven-furlong Sheer Drama serves as a prep for the Grade 3 Princess Rooney Stakes, part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series, on Sept. 12.
Kerry’s Kiss received a five-pound weight concession from Indy Bay in the 6 1/2-furlong Musical Romance. That differential will be down to just a single pound when they meet for the second time Saturday, with Indy Bay again top-weighted at 125 pounds. Kerry’s Kiss went postward at 5-1 and Indy Bay a prohibitive 2-5 in their first encounter, although in light of her last performance, it is expected Kerry’s Kiss will be favored in the rematch.
“We originally bought Kerry’s Kiss to run a one-turn mile, but when those races failed to fill, we had no alternative but to try her at 6 1/2 furlongs and run her against Indy Bay in the stakes,” Joseph recalled. “I thought she would run very well, although to be honest, I wasn’t sure she could beat Indy Bay, who came into the race doing extremely well. And I’ve got to give her props – I thought she actually ran her race, but Kerry’s Kiss just fired really big that day.”
Kerry’s Kiss earned a career-best 97 Beyer Speed Figure in the Musical Romance. Part of that improvement was due to Joseph’s decision to put blinkers on the 4-year-old filly for the first time.
“She was trying to get out a little in her works, so we put an extension blinker on and it obviously helped,” Joseph explained. “Both fillies are doing really well coming into this race, too, and I think it could be a lot closer this time around. The four-pound weight shift should make a difference, especially stretching out a little in distance. Hopefully one of them wins and they finish one-two again.”
Despite the imposing presence of the two Joseph fillies, the Sheer Drama lured a field of seven that includes Just a Philly, who finished a distant third in the Musical Romance; the Group 1 Chilean-bred winner Bombacha Veloz; and lightly raced but promising Domino Vitali. Poiema and Permian Basin complete the lineup.
Just a Philly had a modest two-race winning streak snapped when turning in an even effort in the Musical Romance. She will receive a four-pound break in the weights vis a vis Kerry’s Kiss in their rematch.
Bombacha Veloz was a Group 1 winner going a mile as a 3-year-old in her native Chile but will be returning from a 9 1/2-month layoff when making her U.S. debut for trainer Amador Sanchez.
Domino Vitali will turn back to 6 1/2 furlongs for the first time since a dominant debut win at that distance last fall at Tampa Bay Downs. Never worse than second in four starts, Domino Vitali has been idle since finishing a tiring second making her stakes debut in the mile and 70-yard Serena’s Song at Monmouth Park on May 16.
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