Noble Drama returns from long layoff

Noble Drama is the class of the field, but the hard-trying gelding has gone unraced for more than nine months. Those two opposing variables lend intrigue to the feature race at Gulfstream Park as another three-day race week comes to an end Sunday at the South Florida track.

An earner of $742,837 from 30 career starts, Noble Drama will be making his 7-year-old debut when facing seven other older horses in a $52,000 allowance going a one-turn mile on the main track. David Fawkes – who now is listed as a part-owner after training Noble Drama throughout his outstanding career for breeder Harold Queen – has sent the son of Gone Astray through three well-spaced works at Gulfstream since late June.

“Hopefully, he’s back,” Fawkes said.

Noble Drama, whose nine wins include five restricted stakes, will have Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Sonny Leon aboard when he breaks from post 6. Several of his opponents have a recency edge, most notably I’m a G Six (post 1, Romero Maragh), Brasstown (post 8, Edgard Zayas), and Tune In (post 4, Samy Camacho), the respective 1-2-3 finishers in a June 25 allowance conducted under the same hybrid conditions governing this race.

First post Sunday is 12:25 p.m. Eastern, with the nominal feature going as race 9 (4:42). It’s part of the 20-cent Rainbow 6 (races 5-10) that can be expected to offer a pool guarantee of about $350,000, assuming the jackpot wasn’t swept Friday or Saturday.

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Seven of the 10 Sunday races will be run on Tapeta, including a $43,000 Florida-bred allowance sprint that directly precedes the feature as race 8. Mostly sunny skies and highs near 90 are in the local forecast.

After Sunday, Gulfstream goes dark for four days before another three-day week resumes Friday.

Florida Sire Stakes up ahead

The opening legs of the Florida Sire Stakes series are set for next Saturday, Aug. 6, with the $100,000 Dr. Fager and $100,000 Desert Vixen, both at six furlongs.

The Gulfstream racing office is listing at least six prospective starters for each race. Trainer Michael “Bo” Yates has Cajun Hope among the colts expected for the Dr. Fager, along with three fillies – Cajun Tease, Go Lil Lady, and Girl Bye – for the Desert Vixen.

Entries for both races will be drawn Wednesday. Subsequent races in the series restricted to Florida-sired 2-year-olds are the $200,000 Affirmed and $200,000 Susan’s Girl on Sept. 3, and the $400,000 In Reality and $400,000 My Dear Girl on Oct. 1.