Sea Vow tests open company in Big Drama
Sea Vow will be making a rare start against open company Saturday night when he seeks to win his third straight stakes race in the $75,000 Big Drama at Delta Downs.
The seven-furlong race for 3-year-olds also drew fellow stakes winner Cash Bonus, the stakes-placed runners Texas Jambalaya and Mr. N, and the Churchill Downs maiden special weight winner Wild Man.
The Big Drama is the meet’s final two-turn, open-company stakes opportunity for young colts and geldings. Other races for the division have included the Grade 3, $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot, won by Exaggerator in November, and the $200,000 Jean Lafitte, won by Forevamo in October.
Sea Vow began his stakes streak in a Louisiana-bred route on the Jackpot undercard Nov. 21, taking the $150,000 Louisiana Legacy. He followed that performance with a score in the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile in his most recent start Dec. 12 at Fair Grounds.
Big Drama, Race 8
KEY CONTENDERS
Sea Vow (Last 3 Beyers: 74-60-66)
◗ He has raced against open company once in his five-race career, in September at Louisiana Downs. He was making his second start in a maiden special weight at 5 1/2 furlongs and was a front-running, five-length winner with a Beyer Speed Figure of 73.
◗ Sea Vow proceeded to run second in a Delta allowance before his front-running wins in the Legacy and Juvenile.
◗ There does not appear to be an abundance of pace in the Big Drama, a scenario that would benefit Sea Vow, who could show the way or track Cash Bonus. Alexander Castillo has the mount from post 4.
◗ Sea Vow is trained by Joey Foster, who heading into Thursday’s races was one win from the 500th Thoroughbred training victory of his career, launched in 1992.
◗ Ronald Webb bred and owns Sea Vow, a son of Private Vow and the mare Victory At Sea, a stakes winner of $261,443.
Cash Bonus (Last 3 Beyers: 68-73-60)
◗ He will break from post 5 in the field of six, a better draw than in his last start, the $250,000 Springboard Mile, in which he broke from gate 10. Cash Bonus was prominent to the late stages of that race, run in the slop, and finished sixth, five lengths behind the winner, Discreetness.
◗ Cash Bonus is shortening up to the seven-furlong distance that produced his best Beyer, a 73, for his runner-up effort in the $100,000 Clever Trevor on Nov. 6 at Remington Park.
◗ C.J. McMahon has the mount on Cash Bonus, who in October won the $75,000 El Joven at Retama Park. Bret Calhoun trains the horse for Carl R. Moore Management.