Gone Astray filly exhibits right attitude

Queen Drama, Ocala breeder Harold Queen’s super broodmare, became a 100% producer yesterday when Royal Attitude, a 3-year-old daughter of Gone Astray, broke her maiden at Gulfstream Park in her second start. Royal Attitude is Queen Drama’s fifth winner from five starters; her No. 1 runner is Royal Attitude’s full brother, Noble Drama, a 6-year-old Gone Astray gelding with earnings of $747,487 and still campaigning.

Kentucky Derby winner Sonny Leon was aboard Royal Attitude in a $43,000 maiden optional claimer at six furlongs. The filly was bumped leaving the gate, but Leon rushed her up between horses and she took the lead in a :22.28 quarter. She fought off one challenger through a half in :45.25 and gamely held on by half a length at the wire to become Gone Astray’s 37th winner of 2022, surviving a foul claim in the process.

Royal Attitude raced six furlongs in 1:12.01, paid $11.40 and collected a check for $26,500, raising her total for two races to $31,100.

At Pimlico, Better Call Mama looked like Silky Sullivan, coming from dead last to win her second in a row and becoming Handsome Mike’s leading earner this year. With Angel Cruz riding, the 3-year-old filly broke last in the race at five furlongs on the grass, made a monster run on the turn and into the stretch from 10 lengths back, and ran down the leaders late to score by 1 1/4 lengths in :59.08.

Better Call Mama raised her record to 2-1-3 in eight starts with earnings of $74,084; this year she’s 2-1-2 in five turf tries with a bank account of $67,000. The $20,000 Timonium May 2-year-old posted an Equibase ‘E’ speed figure over 80 in each of her last three.