Kerry’s Kiss Extends Win Streak in $100,000 Sheer Drama

Sunday’s 20-Cent Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Estimated at $75,000

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – In a near carbon copy of her previous start, Epic Horses, BAG Racing Stables and The White House Stables’ Kerry’s Kiss jumped out to an early lead and never looked back keeping her Grade 2-winning stablemate at bay to win Saturday’s $100,000 Sheer Drama Handicap at Gulfstream Park.

The Sheer Drama for fillies and mares 3 and up sprinting seven furlongs on the main track serves as the local prep for next month’s $250,000 Princess Rooney (G3), a ‘Win and You’re In’ qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) Oct. 31 at Keeneland.

Ridden by jockey Edwin Gonzalez, who was also aboard for her 2 ¾-length triumph in the 6 ½-furlong Musical Romance June 27, Kerry’s Kiss ($4.80) covered a fast main track in 1:23.37 for her third consecutive win and second straight over Indy Bay. Both wins since she relocated from the Midwest to South Florida after being purchased privately.

“I didn’t have too much instruction. They let me ride her very comfortably,” Gonzalez said. “I know she’s really fast in front. She’s a quick filly, but I didn’t want to give her too much intention. I let her go on herself and she did everything right.”

Gonzalez and Kerry’s Kiss broke alertly and immediately asserted herself up front, leading through a comfortable quarter-mile in 22.80 seconds and even-money favorite Indy Bay and Domino Vitali dueled behind her for second. The half went in 45.17 with Kerry’s Kiss still very much in control, and Indy Bay separating from a retreating Domino Vitali.

Kerry’s Kiss rounded the far turn and straightened for home in command with only Indy Bay within reach, and she rolled home a determined 1 ½-length winner under a steady drive from Gonzalez. Just a Philly got up for third, just as she did in the Musical Romance, followed by Permian Basin and Domino Vitali. Poiema, Chilean Group 1 winner Bombacha Veloz and Girvin Star were scratched.

“It was impressive because the last time she broke really sharp and she kept going, and she did the same thing today. She was going fast but she was doing it within herself,” Gonzalez said. “She had something left. I wanted to give her a little breather turning for home because I know the other filly and I didn’t want them to get the jump on her, and she kept going.”

Harold Queen’s Florida homebred Sheer Drama, trained by David Fawkes, finished third or better in 17 of 24 career starts with seven wins and nearly $1.7 million in purse earnings. She won stakes in Maryland, Delaware, Florida, New York and Kentucky including the 2015 Delaware Handicap (G1) and Personal Ensign (G1) and 2016 Madison (G1). The half-sister to Eclipse Award-winning sprinter Big Drama was Florida’s champion older female and Horse of the Year in 2015.

Sunday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Estimated at $75,000

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool is estimated to reach $75,000 for Sunday’s nine-race program at Gulfstream Park.

First race post time is 12:20 p.m.

Sunday’s sequence spans Races 4-9, highlighted by the $70,000 Frolic’s Revenge overnight handicap for fillies and mares 3 and up scheduled at a two-turn mile on the grass in Race 7. The 9-5 program favorite is Turino, chasing a third straight win and second in a stakes following the Monroe at the course and distance May 16, her most recent start.

Race 5 is a one-mile turf allowance for Florida-bred fillies and mares 3 and up led by Ocala Gala, who has one win in seven starts but finished third or better six times. Would I Lie to You, Das Ist Alles Ally and Striking Finale all exit victories. State-bred 2-year-old fillies are set to go five furlongs in a Race 6 maiden special weight that includes first-time starters St Margaret’s Bay, Nashville Dagger and R Island Jewel, and Rosie’s Roadster, runner-up in her July 18 debut.

In the Rainbow 6, the jackpot pool is paid out only when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day’s pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool. On mandatory payout days, the entire pool is disbursed to the bettor or bettors holding tickets with the most winners in the six-race sequence.

The $1 Summer Sweep Pick 5 kicks off in Gulfstream’s Race 8, an optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds and up sprinting six furlongs on the main track. Lock and Load and He Be Hoppin each come out of six-furlong wins over the track, while Noble J and Roar of the Beast both chase third career wins. The Summer Sweep continues with Sunday’s Race 9 finale, a claiming event for 3-year-olds and up scheduled for five furlongs on the turf.

Summer Sweep action switches to Emerald Downs starting with its Race 9, the Longacres Mile for 3-year-olds and up featuring stakes winners Si That Tiger and Slew’s Tiz Whiz and multiple stakes-placed Touchy. Race 10 is the Washington Oaks for 3-year-old fillies topped by local stakes winners Falling Leaves and Bewitching Joy. The sequence ends in Race 11, the Muckleshoot Derby for 3-year-olds where July 19 Seattle Slew winner Robin Racer is the 8-5 program favorite.

Notes: Jockey Leonel Reyes registered a Saturday hat trick aboard Sneak Preview ($11.80) in Race 1, Jalapeno ($14.20) in Race 5 and Show Off ($2.80) in Race 6 … Diego Herrera doubled with Stella Runner ($8.80) in Race 2 and Name It ($5.20) in Race 10 to take a 78-76 edge over Samy Camacho in the Royal Palm Meet jockey standings.