Winner of the Jan. 6 Jerome S. under jockey Javier Castellano for trainer Brad Cox, Drum Roll Please reportedly sustained a sesamoid fracture in his left hind ankle during the Belmont Park work. It is believed the chestnut will undergo surgery and require approximately three months to recover before he is able to resume training.

In addition to his Jerome win, Drum Roll Please was third behind Dornoch (Good Magic) and Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) in the GII Remsen S. in December. His next target was reportedly the Feb. 3 GIII Withers S.

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Gold Square LLC's Drum Roll Please (Hard Spun) stamped his authority on the $150,000 Jerome S., scoring by 3 3/4 lengths over a track that produced very slow times all afternoon. The $250,000 Fasig-Tipton October yearling was awarded a Beyer Speed Figure of 80 after stopping the clock in 1:41.91 and plans call for the chestnut, a latest third to Dornoch (Good Magic) and 'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) in the GII Remsen S. Dec. 2, to remain in New York with his next start likely to come in the nine-furlong GIII Withers S. Feb. 3.

“He's lightly raced and the experience he gained yesterday was the main thing,” said Cox's Belmont-based assistant Dustin Dugas. “After Javier won on him [maiden victory over the Jerome course and distance Oct. 6], he was really excited about him and even after the Remsen, he said he would make the trip to ride him again. He really fits the horse well.”

Dugas said the longer the better for Drum Roll Please.

“The way he trains, it seems like he's the type who can go all day,” said Dugas. “He's a chunk and he's a fun horse. He's always been spunky in the mornings.”

Godolphin homebred Comparative (Street Sense) made it a clean sweep for the stable in the Ladies' S. later on the program. The full-sister to MGSW Shared Sense earned her first black-type victory by covering the mile-and-an-eighth distance in 1:55.83.

“I like her a lot and she's such a cool filly,” said Dugas. “She's happy to train and loves to do it. I'm not sure where she'll go next. Brad will talk with Godolphin and review it with them and go from there.”

Dugas was highly complimentary of the ride Manny Franco put on Comparative.

“Manny fits her so well, and he's such a strong rider,” said Dugas. “She needs that. She's a very nice filly, but she needs a strong, special rider. You always heard everyone talk on the backstretch about how strong Manny is, but I think everyone is noticing now. He's shining.”

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After working in company with his elder graded stakes-placed stablemate Slip Mahoney (Arrogate) in an Aug. 19 move for trainer Brad Cox over the Oklahoma training track, there was plenty of chatter behind Air of Defiance (c, 2, Quality Road–Faypien, by Ghostzapper) heading into his Saratoga debut.

Despite proving no match for the jaw-dropping 'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light) across Union Ave. six days later, Air of Defiance lost little in defeat while gaining some valuable racing experience in the process.

Drawn on the fence over a muddy and sealed track, the 5-1 second choice lunged at the start and rushed up beneath Ricardo Santana, Jr. to race in third in the early stages.

The Gold Square LLC colorbearer began to drop back sharply following an opening quarter in a swift :22.02 and was heading the wrong way while under a ride rounding the far turn in the six-furlong affair.

Left with a ton to do as they straightened for home, Air of Defiance began to figure it out in the stretch. He was guided off the fence down the lane, split rivals shortly thereafter and finished with interest to complete the exacta, albeit 11 1/4 lengths adrift the aforementioned Todd Pletcher-trained first-time starter. Air of Defiance earned a 70 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.

The son of Quality Road brought $400,000 from Al Gold's advisor Joe Hardoon out of the Eaton Sales consignment at last year's Keeneland September sale.

Air of Defiance's dam Faypien, a graded winner around two turns and also the runner-up as the favorite in the 2017 GI Test S. at the Spa, realized $875,000 from breeder Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings at the 2018 FTKNOV sale.

The Quality Road over Ghostzapper cross has also produced GSW Guest Suite. Air of Defiance is bred similarly to Quality Road's GISWs Abel Tasman, City of Light and Spring Quality.

“We are hoping to run Air of Defiance Oct. 1 at Churchill,” Gold said. “He lost to a monster of Pletcher's. I'm hopeful he breaks a little better next time and the experience of his first race will enable a better outcome. We remain very high on the horse.”

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A win in the one-mile Gotham could earn Eyeing Clover a trip back to Oaklawn for the Apr. 1 GI Arkansas Derby, according to Ten Strike co-managing partner Marshall Gramm.

“The core of our partners are Arkansans and we wanted to use this step towards the Arkansas Derby,” Gramm said. “That's a race we'd really love to win and participate in. For us, the dream race is the Arkansas Derby and the Gotham seems like a good stepping stone for it. We didn't want to quite jump up from an allowance to first time routing in the [GII] Rebel [at Oaklawn Park] next week from a timing standpoint and that race looks really tough. But the Gotham looks like it could be a really competitive race as well.”

Eyeing Clover, who was purchased by bloodstock agent Liz Crow on behalf of Ten Strike for $55,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September sale, is a half-brother to speedy graded stakes winner Heavenhasmynikki (Majestic Warrior).

“We've been huge Lookin at Lucky fans and we think this one is going to get better as the distances get longer, though his female family is fairly sprint-based,” Gramm said. “We're excited about coming to New York for the Gotham and excited about the horse's future. They bred a speedy female family to Lookin at Lucky and it's given us an early developer. We have every reason to believe, based on the sire, that he should improve going longer and we hope the Gotham is that first step towards the Arkansas Derby.”

Gramm continued, “We've been working with Liz and she buys all of our yearlings and 2-year-olds. This was one that really jumped out at her. It was a fast-looking Lookin at Lucky and she knew our affinity for the stallion and loved the female family as well. Hopefully, putting those two together can put us on the trail.”

Eyeing Clover worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 (4/48) at Fair Grounds Saturday.

Cox could also be represented in the Gotham by Slip Mahoney (Arrogate), who broke his maiden going one mile at Aqueduct Jan. 21. Owned by Gold Square LLC, the gray colt worked five furlongs in 1:01.00 (3/18) over Belmont's training track Saturday.

The Gotham is the penultimate New York prep on the Road to the Kentucky Derby and awards the top-five finishers points based off a 50-20-15-10-5 scale. The nine-furlong Arkansas Derby is a 100-40-30-20-10 Kentucky Derby qualifier.

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“He looked good this morning,” Dugas said. “He cooled out well yesterday and came back in good shape. He was at the front of the stall, and bright eyed this morning. We're happy with him and he was happy with himself.”

Hit Show's potential next starts include the Apr. 8 GII Wood Memorial.

“He's always been a horse that we thought would be better with more ground, based off pedigree, how he runs and what he's shown us in his races,” Cox said. “I think we will obviously look at the Kentucky Derby and one race between now and then. What race that is, I don't know yet. It very well could be the Wood Memorial. He obviously likes the racetrack there and we'll see how things go.”

Another Triple Crown nominee based in New York for Cox is Gold Square's Slip Mahoney (Arrogate), who broke his maiden in his third start at Aqueduct Jan. 21. Before that maiden-breaking score, Slip Mahoney was beaten just a neck when second behind subsequent 'TDN Rising Star' Tapit Trice (Tapit) last December. He was fourth behind Saturday's GIII Sam F. Davis S. winner Litigate (Blame) in his November debut.

The gray colt is now being pointed towards the Mar. 4 GIII Gotham S.

“He ran against some really good horses in his last two races,” Cox said. “He held his own and he's a nice colt. He's marching towards the Gotham. That's where he'll start next, and we're excited about him. He showed some heart and determination in his last two and I think he's one that will get better with doing it in the afternoon. He's been a little tough to get to the races, but once he got there, he's shown up and run every time.”

Slip Mahoney breezed a half-mile in :49.77 (39/87) over the Belmont training track Saturday.

“He came back great. He looked good yesterday,” said Dugas. “He's another one who ate up everything last night and was ready to go this morning. Dylan [Davis] was on him yesterday and he was happy with it, too.”

Slip Mahoney is out of Grade I winner Got Lucky (A.P. Indy) and his third dam is the blue hen mare Get Lucky (Mr. Prospector).

Drew's Gold (Violence) will target the Apr. 8 GIII Bay Shore S. following his win in Saturday's Jimmy Winkfield S. at Aqueduct.

Of the decision to aim for the seven-furlong Bay Shore rather than the one-mile Gotham, which will offer Kentucky Derby points, co-owner and trainer James Chapman explained, “I'd rather just keep taking it step-by-step with him and run him in the seven-eighths race. He's doing super. He came out of the race like he didn't even run.”

Drew's Gold, who is co-owned with Stuart Tsujimoto, is unbeaten in three lifetime starts. The six-furlong Jimmy Winkfield was his longest effort to date.

“Who knows until you run around two turns, but it doesn't seem like the distance has affected him. The further that he goes, he just wins by more,” Chapman said.

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