The Davona Dale Stakes (KYO) (Grade 2)- $200.000 Purse
GP- For Fillies Three Years Old
One Mile on the Dirt
March 4, 2017
Fountain of Youth weekend at GP will also showcase the ladies not named Snow Peak in the 14th running of the Davona Dales Stakes, a Grade 2 event that has been run at various distances over the course of its history. 2015 marked the return of the race to an even mile, and this will be the eighth time overall this race has been that distance. Unfortunately, the purse also saw a $50.000 drop at about the same time and does seem a little low when you consider what is really on the line for these fillies. Then again, its $100.000 more then the KYO race going on out at SA the same day, so maybe we shouldn’t complain. Mb Stables won the race last year with Fleeting Affair, a filly who then went on to finish 6th in the KYO. That trainer looks for his third win in this race, and occupies most of the inside posts to do it in. Let’s meet the field of nine!
#1- Guest Of Honor (Mb Stables, ridden by M E Smith)- In her second start, and still a maiden, the trainer entered her in the Grade 1 Alcibiades, and she was third. I mention that, because while we will see that from some other trainers, it’s a little out of character for Mb, so you know he has always regarded this filly highly. In her fourth start, she eventually broke that maiden, and then followed that up win in the Suncoast, an ungraded event over at TAM last month. Looking at that field, it is possible it was nothing more then a glorified allowance, but Guest Of Honor has the faith of his trainer, and anyone on the rail can’t be counted out.
#2- Hold Your Applause (Mb Stables, ridden by J R Leparoux)- Winner of two out of six so far in her career, with the highlight being the $75.000 Hut Hut on this very race track in December, and that was also the last time that Leparoux has been aboard. Despite some inconsistency in her longer work times, Hold Your Applause has always seemed able to be a contender at the end. Comes off a solid run in the Grade 2 Forward Gal here last month on Holy Bull day, but might need to be a little quicker to beat her stablemates, and everyone else, in this race.
#3- Cobra Kai (Aer Stables, ridden by R Bejarano)- Picked up the biggest win of her career in November when she triumphed in the DED Princess, but could not carry that momentum into her race after that, which was the Grade 2 Santa Ynez at SA. At a quick glance, inconsistency might be a bit of a trend with her. After a couple months off, she is set to go again here, and based on her last two works, she may be ready to fire off a big one and her rivals better be ready!
#4- Sunita Bonita (Mb Stables, ridden by I Ortiz Jr)- After losing her debut race, Sunita Bonita would win four in a row, a streak that would culminate in the beginning of October in the Grade 1 Frizette. That win earned her the right to go up against super stablemate Snow Peak in the BC Juvenile Fillies, and she would run a decent fifth in that race. Off of that, she showed up for the Las Virgenes, a KYO prep race that only saw four runners. Though I am intrigued by what Guest Of Honor may do in this field, Sunita Bonita is my choice of the three Mb Stables entries in the field.
#5- Que Sera Creeps (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by R J Albarado)- Covered a few of her races last year, but it’s been a little while since I was last looking at one of her races. When I have seen her, she has run extremely well, so I was surprised to see how she has fared in her last three races, particularly her outing last month in the Las Virgenes. It was only a four horse field, and she finished dead last. Prior to that, her two previous races she was beaten a combined nine lengths, which in our virtual world though maybe not the real world, is a cause for concern. She needs a jolt, and if I’m her good luck charm, maybe it comes today.
#6- Kinda Naughty (Night Mare Racing, ridden by J Bravo)- This Kavorka filly is lightly raced so far, and seems to be behaving well for her trainer. Her two wins have been in her last two starts, and have been in her last two starts, coming at TP for modest purses. This will also be the longest she has ever run in her career, but I do think she has been waiting for this distance. Placing her here is a gamble, but if you think your filly has the potential to get to the KYO, there is no more time to wait. A work by Kinda Naughty on Valentine’s Day was actually kinda nice. Let’s see what happens.
#7- Ladies Night (Oval Express Farms, ridden by L H Colon)- Began her career racing on the turf, and had success in the races she ran in, although they were not always at the highest of levels. A win on soft turf in a FG allowance is her career highlight so far, and it got the trainer thinking big, and into stakes. In January, she ran in the ungraded Busanda, her dirt debut, and finished at the back of the 11-horse field. That’s not going to generate much optimism for her here, but it has been about almost two months since that race, so if she has gotten better, then the time is now to see if she can compete against this company.
#8- Komodo Freestyle (John Henry, ridden by L Saez)- Back in November, she was seen in the DED Jackpot, perhaps hoping for a weaker field then would be the case, and her run against the boys would prove to be very unsuccessful. Australia Wide had enough, and three days later shipped her off to John Henry for $75.000. That is a race that is a black mark on an otherwise excellent resume, and should really be a complete throw out. Prior to that, she was dominant in the FL Sire Series, winning two out three, and being second in the third. If anyone had concerns about her after the Jackpot, they were erased in a victory in the Grade 2 Santa Ynez in January. After two months of rest, I like her a ton here. She’s not a lock, but if she brings her best, she won’t be beat.
#9- Blackberry (Our Athletes, ridden by J R Velazquez)- On the outside, look for the Reindeer Games filly to be one of the top choices. She’s won four of eight as well as two graded events in her last three starts. In October, she won the Grade 1 Alcibiades, and that allowed her to be a part of the BC Juvenile Fillies. That race did not go all that well, but she quickly rebounded later that month with a win in the Grade 2 Demoiselle up at AQU. After a couple months off, she is set to make her 2017 debut here. Looks to be a filly with a lot of heart, and she will be ready to go here, and I think she’ll hit the board, but may find Komodo Freestyle a little tough if that one runs her best race.
Prediction: 8-4-9-3
— NS
Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES
