Shaq Diesel snapped a six-race, 13-month losing streak and did so in style by rallying to a convincing four-length victory over Air Combat in Saturday’s $75,000 Big Drama Handicap at Gulfstream Park.
The win was the third on the card for jockey Miguel Vasquez.
Shaq Diesel is trained by David Fawkes, who also trained the 2010 sprint champion Big Drama.
Shaq Diesel came into Saturday’s main event winless since April 20, 2024, when he captured a high-priced optional claiming and allowance dash as a prelude to his third-place finish in the Big Drama five weeks later. He prepped for this year’s edition in a similarly conditioned seven-furlong dash here last month when second-best to trainer Todd Pletcher’s odds-on favorite Antiquarian.
Vasquez allowed Shaq Diesel to settle in perfect striking position behind a trio of rivals fighting for the early advantage while placing the ultimate winner well out near the middle of the racetrack, which appeared to be the better footing over the main track throughout the course of the day. Shaq Diesel rallied six wide off the bend, responding to vigorous urging from Vasquez to readily overtake Air Combat nearing midstretch and win going away.
Air Combat, haltered for $62,500 out of his last start and riding a five-race win streak entering the Big Drama, raced outside the dueling leaders, wrested command while continuing wide himself into the stretch, but proved no match for the winner while holding safe the wider-running Life is Precious to prove second-best.
Dilger, the 3-2 favorite and 123-pound high weight exiting a third-place finish in the Grade 2 Carter seven weeks ago, proved to be a major disappointment, tiring badly after contesting the early running to be last in a scratch-reduced field of six.
Shaq Diesel, a 5-year-old son of Khozan, completed seven furlongs in 1:24.17 seconds and returned $7.40.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.