The Davona Dale Stakes (KYO) (Grade 2)- $200.000 Purse
GP- For Fillies Three Years Old
One Mile on the Dirt
March 4, 2017 

It was a pretty good day for Mb Stables here at the Davona Dale Stakes, with his fillies finishing 1st , 3rd, and 5th.  The big winner though would be Guest Of Honor, who started on the rail and made the most of it.    It is her third straight win, and things should be looking up for her going forward, as she is now second overall in KYO points with 52.  Mb has a few contenders, and with the entry restrictions for trainers of three runners per stable in these races, I will catch myself before saying that Guest Of Honor will be in the race as a definite statement.  Let’s just say that right now she looks pretty good to be there.   It is also the trainer’s second consecutive win in the race, and third in the last six races.  Aboard the winner was M E Smith, who wins the Davona Dale for the second time.  Congratulations to our winners!  The time of victory was 1:35.45.  Here’s a rundown!

1st- 1- Guest Of Honor (5/1)- Our eventual winner from Mb Stables started well and would end up in a stalking position of the frontrunners as they moved down the backstretch.  At a half mile, she trailed by a length and a half as they field prepared to enter the turn.  At his point of the race, M E Smith made an exceptionally aggressive move with the filly by nudging Ladies Night out of the way and cutting off her stablemare Sunita Bonita in the process in order to get to the outside of Blackberry.  The move was timed perfectly when you consider how close it ended up being at the end.   Blackberry put up no fight, but there was a challenge coming four wide from Cobra Kai, and Sunita Bonita was storming back into the picture.  There was no room for error or any kind of let up for Guest Of Honor.  With 0.3 furlongs to go, it looks like Cobra Kai had her but Guest Of Honor dug in and Cobra Kai appeared to drift ever so slightly in the waning moments.  In what ended up being a tight photo finish between these two, every little bit counts, and today it would be Guest Of Honor in the winner’s circle, in a time of 1:35.45.  Guest Of Honor is a three year old filly by Wunununu and out of Laker Girl (Hollywood Moon). She was bred in California as a yearling by Mb Stables, the only trainer for which she has ever known.  Congratulations to the connections!

2nd- 3- Cobra Kai (6/1)- Today’s runner up from Aer Stables got off to a decent start that would have her racing with the pack as they moved down the backstretch.  After a quarter, she was fifth, but only about two lengths from the lead.    Early in the backstretch, though, she dropped off a little, something that may seem insignificant, but it meant a length to Guest Of Honor, who she had been running beside previously.  Moving into the turn, she had two to three lengths to make up, and had to go four wide to do so.  At the same time, Guest Of Honor was a little more comfortably splitting traffic.  At the top of the stretch, she had a neck behind Guest Of Honor and the two of them were set to have a classic duel.  In it, the inside lane was clearly beneficial to her rival at the wire.  Cobra Kai may have been the best horse in this race.    She now has 30 KYO points, and is 6th overall.

3rd- 4- Sunita Bonita (6/1)- Looked good out of the gate for Mb Stables, appearing as though she would challenge Ladies Night and Blackberry early before backing off of the pursuit after a quarter mile.  Searched for some running room as they moved into the turn, but her stablemate Guest Of Honor did her no favors by cutting into her lane.  Fortunately for the trainer, that was a winning move for that one!  Looked real good in the stretch, and with a furlong to go, it actually looked like she was going to pass both Guest Of Honor and Cobra Kai.  They would hold her off, but be watching for this one wherever she ends up next!

4th- 5- Que Sera Creeps (17/1)- The D J C Racing Stables entry got off to an average start, and would run in the middle of the field down the backstretch.  The gap to the leaders would be about four lengths midway through.  Did not look to make an advance when a prime opportunity presented itself entering the final turn.  She was able to stay with the pack, and follow in the shadow of Guest of Honor.  While there was never a winning move, this would be good enough in a classic virtual racing blanket finish.

5th- 2- Hold Your Applause (3/1)- The final entry from Mb Stables would begin this race towards the back of the field, keeping to the outside of Que Sera Creeps as they moved down the backstretch.  Remained near the back of the field moving into the turn as there was quite a bit of lane shuffling going on ahead of her.   Moved up a little at the top of stretch, but only to a point where she was level with Que Sera Creeps and Ladies Night.  Misses a check in a jumbo finish.

6th- 7- Ladies Night (70/1)- The longest shot on the board, from Oval Express Farms was shot right out of the gate and battled with a couple for the early lead.  She would get credit for leading after a quarter, handling it in :23.67 before backing off of Blackberry a little.  Remained in a stalking position entering the turn, and hung tough most of the way through before beginning to show that she would not be able to hold off those behind her, but fared a little better then I was expecting in the stretch at the same time.

7th- 6- Kinda Naughty (9/1)- This filly from Night Mare Racing had no interest in the early pace at all, and went right to the rear of the field.   Midway through the backstretch portion, she was spotting the field about five and a half lengths.  Continued to trail around the turn, and into the stretch with a tight pack ahead of her, making lane choice difficult for J Bravo. Though it seemed like he just decided to ride it out to the wire.

8th- 9- Blackberry (9/1)- Started well out of the gate for Our Athletes in the runway to the main track, before eventually emerging with the lead within the backstretch and then opening up a quick length about midway through it.  Look good at that point, and as they moved into the turn. Once Guest Of Honor made a power move around her in the turn, it really looked like Blackberry turned off the switch.

9th- 8- Komodo Freestyle (3/1)- A bit of a head scratcher here.  This post time favorite from John Henry was also our pick and did not show up.  Fortunately for the trainer, there would be a much better result later in the day.  She would go right to the back early, and ran with Kinda Naughty for a while.  Made an outside move on exit of the final turn, and got closer, but you want to see more from a filly with this kind of ability.

Track: Fast
Time: :23³  :47   1:10⁴  1:35²

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 1 – 3 Paid 41.50
$1 Trifecta: 1 – 3 – 4 Paid 101.00

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES