Noble Drama bests Garter and Tie in Wildcat Heir at Gulfstream

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. -- Noble Drama gave every indication early this winter he was ready to leap to the head of the Florida-bred older-horse division when launching his 2020 campaign with a last-to-first victory in the Sunshine Millions Classic. And on Saturday at Gulfstream Park, Noble Drama looked like he planned to hold on the top spot for a while after registering a popular, one-length victory over Garter and Tie in the $150,000 Wildcat Heir, the first of six stakes, the only one for older horses, on the card.

Noble Drama had gone winless in four starts, two of those against open company, following his victory in the Sunshine Classic before rebounding with a decisive 2 ½-length triumph in the seven-furlong Benny the Bull for Florida-breds earlier this month. And he was equally impressive stretching out to a mile in the Wildcat Heir, readily drawing off to a commanding advantage entering the stretch before easily withstanding a late surge from the runner-up.

In fact the Wildcat Heir turned out to be strictly a two-horse affair, with Garter and Tie finishing 8 1/4 lengths clear of the tiring Just Kidding to prove second best. Squeezadios, Jackson, and Turn on the Magic rounded out the complete order of finish.

David Fawkes trains Noble Drama, a son of Big Drama, for owner-breeder Harold Queen. Emisael Jaramillo rode the winner, who returned $4.20.

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“He’s good right now. This is the best he’s ever been,” said Fawkes. “He’s such a nice little horse. He’ll go seven-eighths, he’ll go a mile. He’ll even go a mile and an eighth, although I think he’s a little better at one turn.”

Fawkes said he’d likely keep Noble Drama against Florida-breds for the time being, pointing him for the Sunshine Millions Classic at the upcoming Gulfstream Park West meet as a prelude to a defense of his title in the Sunshine Classic back here in January.

* Omaha City picked the right spot to win his maiden, waiting until Saturday’s $75,000 Hollywood Beach Stakes when he rallied down the center of the course to register a 1 1/4-length decision over the 8-5 Big Daddy Dave in the five-furlong turf dash for 2-year-olds. Hail Rich Legacy finished third.

Omaha City was winless in five previous starts coming into the Hollywood Beach. Trained by his owner Mohammed Jehaludi and ridden by Marcos Meneses, Omaha City completed the distance over a “good” turf course in 58.81 and paid $27.00.

* Mid-afternoon showers forced the final two turf stakes on the card, the $75,000 Armed Forces and its filly counterpart, the Our Dear Peggy, to be switched to a sloppy main track and shortened from one mile to seven furlongs.

Poppy’s Pride was the first to take advantage of the change, leading throughout and holding safe a stretch long try from the 9-5 Fulmini to register a 1 3/4-length decision in the Armed Forces. The outing was the first beyond 5 1/2 furlongs for Poppy’s Pride, who earned his diploma with a resounding 6 1/2-length victory in his previous start.

Poppy’s Pride, a son of Khozan, ran the distance in 1:24.10 over the wet going and paid $17.40. Ridden to victory by Jesus Rios, Poppy’s Pride is owned by his breeder, Stonehedge Farm, and trained by Michael Yates.

* Quinoa Tifah, winner of the first 2-year-old race of the 2020 season back on April 16, became a stakes winner for the first time in the finale, setting all the pace on route to a three-length victory over the 7-5 Con Lima in the Our Dear Peggy, giving Jaramillo his second stakes win on the day.

Quinoa Tifah, a homebred daughter of Brethren owned by Arindel, paid $17.20 after completing seven-eighths in 1:24.18 on the sloppy surface.