Favored King Henny won the inaugural running of the $100,000 Big Drama Stakes (VIDEO) for 3-year-olds at rainy Delta Downs when Mr. Bandini's Band was disqualified from first for interference in the stretch on the night of Jan. 5.
Mr. Bandini's Band, ridden in the seven-furlong test by Kevin Smith, was demoted when he drifted inward on a pair of rivals in upper stretch en route to reaching the wire three-quarters of a length in front of 2-1 choice King Henny.
Ridden by Donnie Meche, the late-charging King Henny was able to avoid the trouble by altering course to the far outside for the drive and was gaining on Mr. Bandini's Band as they reached the wire. For his antics, Mr. Bandini's Band was placed fourth, with Hero Force and Heaven's Runway, both forced to steady in the lane, moved up to second and third, respectively.
King Henny is owned by Erv Woolsey and Keith Asmussen and is trained by Steve Amsussen. He is by Henny Hughes out of the Afternoon Deelites mare Queens Carousel. The chestnut colt was bred in Kentucky by Betz/Kidder/Lamantia/J. Betz.
Final time on a sloppy, sealed main track was 1:27.46. King Henny finished half a length in front of Hero Force, ridden by Rosie Napravnik, with pacesetter Heaven's Runway and Carlos Marquez 2 1/2 lengths farther back.
Heaven's Runway opened up a four-length advantage at the three-eighths pole after running an opening quarter mile in a swift :22.44 and the half in :46.71.
The victory by King Henny was the third of his five-race career. He earned $60,000 for the effort, which raised his purse total to $160,000. Winner of the Clever Trevor Stakes at Remington Park in Novembeer, King Henny was coming off a fifth-place effort in the Remington Springboard Mile.
King Henny returned $6, $3.40, and $2.40. Hero Force was worth $3.40 and $2.60. Heaven's Runway paid $2.80.
The connections of King Henny accepting the winning trophy.
Coady Photography