The Davona Dale Stakes (KYO) (Grade 2)- $200.000 Purse
GP- For Fillies Three Years Old
One Mile on the Dirt
March 5, 2022

The first weekend of March brings us so many excellent prep races for both the KYD and the KYO. Three such races for the Oaks are taking place, with 50-points being on the line for the winner in each of them. As of right now, The Davona Dale is the only race to run with a full field of twelve, but there will be a good ten in the Busher. The Santa Ysabel runs on Sunday, so as of press time, the race had not closed to entries. Everyone in the field comes here off of running in either an ungraded or a graded stake, so expect a great race. Personally, I will be rooting pretty hard for one of the horses in the field, but we will get to her in a bit. The 2021 edition of the race was won by YME Stable and Shes A Super Freak. The still active horse would end up running sixth in the KYO that year. Let’s take a look at those aiming to be the next name added to the winner board!

#1- Perfect Class (Sccj Stables, ridden by Mario Gutierrez)- Perfect on the Grass could almost be her name, winning four out of her five starts thus far, all coming on the turf course. Her last two victories have been in Grade 3’s, with the last one coming right here in the Sweetest Chant, and Mario Gutierrez has been her regular rider. This time of year, if you run that good on the turf, at least one try on the main track in the KYO hunt is likely. We know she can win, this will all be about how she handles the surface switch.

#2- Angelic (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by T Gaffalione)- This filly has done an excellent job of finishing money, placing first or third in five of her six career starts. Two of them are wins, and you have to go back to late November to find the last time she did so, where she was excellent in the $100.000 Key Cents at AQU. Ran out west in her last start, placing third in the Las Virgenes, and giving her two points for the KYO leaderboard.

#3- Paris Pinnacle Party (Mb Stables, ridden by D Davis)- Began her career running against TX breds, and beating them, before leaving the Lone Star State for the graded ranks. She’d win the Sorrento Stakes and was possibly on a BC path but that would fizzle out just enough to keep her out. Her last two starts are victories, with the most recent being a month ago in the Grade 3 Forward Gal Stakes, coming from behind late.

#4- Bella Chica (Mb Stables, ridden by A Cedillo)- Right now, Mb Stables is sitting pretty in the KYO chase with four horses in the top thirteen, and then this filly who is close to the top 20 herself. She’s hit the board in each of her last two races, running third in the Grade 2 Golden Rod, and then second in the Santa Ynez, coming from well off that pace in that one. That gives her eight points for the moment.

#5- Curlina (Arindel, ridden by J C Ferrer)- While Arindel has several of the games best three year old fillies, he would not be stopped from adding another one, acquiring Curlina from Fractious for $450.000 in late January. The sale came following a win in the $100.000 Untapable. Ran last month in the Las Virgenes, and just missed points with a fifth place finish. Now, she’ll need to step up and run big to get some bragging rights amongst the other good fillies in this stable.

#6- Theres No Doubt (Angelos Stable, ridden by M Franco)- The trainer spotted this one running in a $75.000 maiden claimer, and liked what he saw. He won that race, which enabled Angelos Stable to take another step with her, and run her in the $100.000 Ruthless, which she also won. She had always run well prior to breaking her maiden, but now that she is learning how to win races, the only question is just how high can she go? She gets tested well here.

#7- Sensation (Mb Stables, ridden by C J Hernandez)- Became well known last fall by winning the Grade 1 Frizette, catapulting her into the BC Juvenile Fillies. She did not beat anyone that day, but the trainer was not about to let that sidetrack her career. Last month, she was one of a few in here that ran in the Grade 3 Las Virgenes, but she would be the one getting the victory with the services of C J Hernandez. She’s ninth on the board right now with 20 points.

#8- Brienne The Snake (Martyparty, ridden by Ru Gonzlaez)- Adds a little bit of distance here in the Davona Dale as she has not run more than seven furlongs before. Maybe that will be what it takes to get her back to the winners circle because while she has been consistent in hitting the board in six of seven starts, only one is a win. She’s been gaining ground in the stretch in her last few races, so maybe just a little more room to race will be what it takes.

#9- Orange Creek (Iolaus Racing, ridden by A A Gallardo)- On Christmas Day, right after dinner, I checked HRP and a $200.000 offer for Orange Creek was sitting there. I thought about it for a while, knowing this filly had a lot of potential, but did not feel as though I could get her there. Off she would go to Iolaus Racing, and the trainer got her a win in the $125.000 Gasparilla Stakes in their first start together. Now, here she is running in the Davona Dale and looking to earn 50 points, and while there are tough ones for her to knock off, I’ll be hoping to recap an Orange Creek victory.

#10- Lonely (Ace Racing Stable, ridden by J L Ortiz)- It didn’t take $200.000 for Ace Racing Stable to acquire, Lonely, however. Only $8.500 would be needed, as they would claim her from D J C Racing Stables. Two starts later, and on the same day Orange Creek won the Gasparilla, Lonely was getting her biggest career win to this point as well, being all alone in front at the $100.000 Franklin Square, winning by two lengths. Three weeks later, she followed it up well by running second in Forward Gal. Each of those races had J L Ortiz aboard. Right now, she has 4 KYO points.

#11- Believe In Miracles (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by J R Velazquez)- This is the final horse of the four that come out of the Las Virgenes out at SA last month. Believe In Miracles wasted no time getting out to the front in that one, jumping out to a two length lead and doing very well all the way until the end as only Sensation could get by. Does only have one win, but has hit the board in five of her seven starts. Has run with different styles, so might not be an automatic to jump out to the lead or near it again.

#12- Last Call (YME Stable, ridden by J J Castellano)- Fittingly, Last Call is the last call for us in this preview, but the trainer hopes that post draw luck will not become a trend. He won the race last year with Shes A Super Freak and his filly here is working very well at six furlongs. She has not run long yet in her career, and unfortunately, she does not have any long public works recently that we can go by. Obviously, there are good private numbers, but I couldn’t pick her without seeing a long public work.

Prediction: 4-11-7-9

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES