by Jessica Martini (Thoroughbred Daily News)
A filly from the first crop of sprint champion Big Drama (Montbrook) turned heads with a quarter-mile work in :20 3/5, fastest at last week’s under-tack show, and the juvenile duly delivered in the OBS sale’s ring Thursday, selling for $410,000 to trainer Linda Rice. The filly (hip 608) was bred by Eddie Woods’s Quarter Pole Enterprises, which purchased her dam Twilight Mirage (Jeblar) for $15,000 at the 2012 OBS Winter sale. Woods, better known as a juvenile pinhooker and consignor, has five broodmares scattered between Florida, Kentucky and New York. AIt’s just something we decided to dabble in more than anything and it’s gone ok,@ Woods explained. AWe ended up with a couple of mares by accident, 2-year-olds that got hurt and that had pedigrees. We’ve sold a couple of others–we sold a horse here last year called My Point Exactly (Concord Point) that won a stakes and ran in the GI Florida Derby. And then two or three years ago, I sold a weanling for $12,500 and it brought $300,000 here in April. But that’s part of it.@ My Point Exactly, out of My Golden Quest (Coronado’s Quest), sold for $65,000 at last year’s OBS Spring sale. The gray won the Sunday Silence S. at Louisiana Downs last September. Twilight Mirage, who was in foal to Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) at the Winter sale, fit everything Woods was looking for three years ago. AI bought her off Janie [Roper], who works for me here,@ Woods explained. AShe is a really good-looking mare and she had a bit of pedigree and she had a horsethat was running a bit on the grass. And she was cheap.@ The stakes-placed mare is also the dam of multiple stakes winner Determinato (Closing Argument). Her Leroidesanimaux colt sold for $42,000 at last year’s
Spring sale. The Big Drama filly herself RNA’d for $47,000 at last year’s OBS August sale.

With a straight face, Woods said, AThis one RNA’d as a yearling due to me having a bad consignor: Francis Vanlangendonck.@ The Irishman then broke into a huge grin and added, AI’ve been busting on him all week.@ He continued, AShe has grown since then. She was a petite thing. She is a bit fine-boned and she’s a bit straight, just a hair straight. But she grew up classy looking. She is still a bit fine-boned, but she went in :20 3/5. And her video is awesome and she galloped out huge and that’s why we do 2-year-old sales. If she goes in :21 flat, we’re not having this conversation.@ Big Drama, who won the 2010 GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint and was named that year’s champion sprinter, stands for $10,000 at Bridlewood Farm. ABig Drama was a good horse and he can get a good horse,@ Woods said. AHis 2-year-olds have sold well, they sold well in March and there are more that will sell well here, I believe. For him to get a nice horse, it’s no surprise to me.@ Big Drama had seven juveniles sell at the OBS March sale, highlighted by a filly who brought $270,000. The Big Drama filly was Rice’s third purchase of the Spring Sale. Rice, who has had a busy spring at the juvenile sales while stocking a stable for a newly formed syndicate of female investors, also purchased a filly by Tizway (hip 488) for $420,000 during Wednesday’s session of the Spring sale. Later Thursday, she made her fourth purchase when acquiring a colt by Summer Bird (hip 801) for $210,000. Rice went to $950,000 to acquire a colt by Broken Vow at the March sale.