Two changes help Sheer Drama in Fleur de Lis

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Two differences between the May 1 La Troienne and Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Fleur de Lis at Churchill Downs suggest Sheer Drama has a prime opportunity to pick up a victory.

First, Molly Morgan, who beat Sheer Drama by three-quarters of a length in the La Troienne, is now retired. And second, the Fleur de Lis is at 1 1/8 miles, which suits Sheer Drama better than some of her eight rivals.

Sheer Drama, a 5-year-old daughter of Burning Roma and a half-sister to 2010 Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Big Drama, has a win and a runner-up finish in three starts at 1 1/8 miles, though she has not raced at the distance in four starts this year.

Since stretching out to two turns, Sheer Drama won the Royal Delta Stakes at Gulfstream by 6 1/2 lengths, earning a 99 Beyer Speed Figure, and followed that with her runner-up finish to Molly Morgan in the La Troienne, in which she earned a 93.

Regular jockey Joe Bravo rides for trainer David Fawkes.

Because the Fleur de Lis is a Win and You’re In Challenge race for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff for the first time, providing an entry-paid berth into the Distaff, the race is deeper and stronger than a typical $200,000 race. Seven of the nine entrants are coming out of Grade 1 races, and one, My Sweet Addiction, took the Grade 1 Vanity gate to wire after setting a slow pace.

The pace of the Fleur de Lis should be faster. Besides My Sweet Addiction, Yahilwa and Gold Medal Dancer are other mares accustomed to racing on or near the pace, and Pearl Turn and Sheer Drama are capable of pressing the leaders if asked to do so.

Post time for the Fleur de Lis is 9:08 p.m. Eastern.

Fleur de Lis, Race 7

Key contenders

Tiz Windy (Last 3 Beyers: 91-87-77)

◗ Winner of the Grade 2 Indiana Oaks in 2015, she appears to be rounding back into peak form – with a recent fourth in the La Troienne being her best performance of the year. She is also a two-time winner at Churchill Downs.

Sheer Drama (Last 3 Beyers: 93-99-91)

◗ Has been a model of consistency on dirt, finishing first or second in all seven of her starts in 2014-2015. In one of those exacta finishes, in which she ran second in the Grade 3 Rampart on Feb. 21, she finished a head in front of Wedding Toast, five-length winner of the Ogden Phipps on Belmont Stakes Day.

My Sweet Addiction (Last 3 Beyers: 95-89-81)

◗ Has proven tough to catch when able to establish the pace, as she did in winning the Grade 1 Vanity May 9, albeit over just three rivals.

Gold Medal Dancer (Last 3 Beyers: 93-94-97)

◗ Ran third in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom and La Troienne after upsetting Untapable in the Azeri Stakes in March on an off track.