The Davona Dale Stakes – Grade II
$200.000 For Fillies Three Years Old
1 Mile – Dirt
Gulfstream Park – February 28, 2026
The beginning of each racing season brings with it dreams of Kentucky on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs for any owner/trainer of a promising three-year-old. Each race on the qualifying road either feeds the hope or dashes the dream. The Davona Dale with its Oaks qualifying points was one of those races on this weekend’s schedule. The results are in and Neds Diva moves way up and now sits at number three with a bullet on the Oaks chart by virtue of her stretch driving win.
Winner: Neds Diva (The Sidley Stud/L. Dettori) Neds Influence/Decima Heat (Decima) Got a great break from the gate from her outside post which allowed her to take a position behind the speed duel of the two runaway pacesetters Grecia Tieta and Zifi who opened up five lengths on the field through opening fractions of 22:37 and 45:61. Began hitting her best stride as the came into the stretch moving outside around the tiring leaders while Exciting took the inside path when making her bid. Those two took the lead and engaged in battle to the wire in late stretch with Neds Diva proving best by a neck. 50 points for the win ranks her three in Oaks qualifying with a total of 52 points.
Second: Exciting (Maxmillion Farm/S.X. Bridgmohan) Blaze Ahead/Furlough (Residue) Ran a very similar race to the winner. Bided her time after taking a waiting position behind the speed. Moved inside coming into the stretch and ran down the leaders and came up just a neck short of the win in her first graded stakes attempt barely missing running her winning streak to five. 25 points for second brings her to number ten in Oaks qualifying with a total of 25 points.
Third: Zifi (Mb Stables/R. Santana Jr.) Zionist/My Fiona (Zigmund) Broke well and was taken to the front where she was quickly joined by Grecia Tieta who was rushed up to engage in a battle of speed that took the two fillies far out front of their rivals. Those two were head and head to the top of the stretch. At that point Zifi put away her early rival and was set down to try to hold off the charge of fillies who had bided their time. Zifi held on stubbornly throughout most of the stretch before finally succumbing to the top two very late. 15 points for third brings her to number twenty-two in Oaks qualifying with a total of 16 points.
Fourth (DH): Midnight Hurricane (Aer Stables/M. Franco) Cherokee Sunset/Flashy Breeze (Condotierris Flash) Sat midpack throughout and then made her move following the winner into the stretch. Found her best stride late moving outside for her final charge hitting the wire in a dead heat for fourth with Something Aint Right who was coming at her from the middle of the track late. 5 points for fourth brings her to thirty-eighth in Oaks qualifying with a total of 10 points.
Fourth (DH): Something Aint Right (Alydar Stables/R. Bejarano) Zinfandel/Cinnamon Sky (Good Authority) Taken back to last and trailed the field by almost fifteen lengths down the backstretch. Was still last moving into the final turn. Swung was way for a furious late drive in the stretch that found her moving best of all in the late going but ran out of ground but gained the final prize offered in a dead heat for fourth. 5 points for fourth brings her to twenty-third in Oaks qualifying with a total of 16 points.
Preview Pick: Santorini Tenth in a mostly even run making up some ground late.
The Davona Dale was the first graded stakes win for Neds Diva and it marks the first win in the race for owner/breeder The Sidley Stud and jockey L. Dettori. The win brings total career earnings for Neds Diva to $178.800 and it was her third win in six starts.
Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES