The Davona Dale Stakes – Grade II [KYO]
GP Race #12 1m Dirt Graded Stake
Purse $200.000 For Fillies Three Years Old.
1 Buttons Mb Stables Beschizza A
With all the hype for the KYD we often forget the KYO but the fillies are alive and kicking and set up another intriguing qualifier here. This one only just scrambled home in a maiden claimer last year but stepped out in the Ruthless and ran well to be second doing enough to give her a second shot at the big time today. Like all the horses from the stable she seems able to run good work times but so far she hasnt really convinced me on the track and this may be her big chance to impress.
2 Blazing By Mb Stables Velazquez J R
The second runner from the stable she is a completely different entry with some proven form in this grade but her works are no better than her stable companion so we only have her track form to separate her. A strong winner of the DMR Debutante the question marks came up in her next two when tested over further weakening into fourth from the lead in the Chandelier and then getting into traffic in the BC Juvenile fillies. Brought back in trip for her last two she has won them both and gets another chance to see out this trip today. With the perfect draw this could be a perfect opportunity for her and if she gets a nice trip just behind the speed she may well become a KYO chance.
3 Nuclear Tweet Smokey Stover Colon L H
Comes from a stable in form but needs to improve a little on her form so far. Bought for $60.000 she scraped home in her maiden in her first start for the trainer but was beaten in her next two on off tracks. In her last start she dead heated for the win at allowance level in a solid looking race but whilst she looks a real tryer she has yet to prove she has the class to win a race like this. Having said all that she is out of a stallion that keeps churning out top stayers and it seems an allowance race is as good as a stakes race these days so she has a chance from the perfect draw.
4 Hollywood Short Estero Farms Pennington F
A nice maiden winner in the wet she ran her best race at this level in those conditions too when third in the Demoiselle so any rain will certainly be well received by her trainer. She came from a long way back to be third in the Busanda on seasonal debut and that coupled with some good works at home suggest she may be improving. She should be able to lay up a bit closer with this draw and comes from one of the stables that seem to be dominant in stakes races these days so she must be given a very good chance.
5 Deceptive Tactics Nakamura Stables Talamo J
Things were going well for this filly as she took her maiden and followed up with an allowance but she has been a big disappointment since failing badly in the Jessamine and then running better but only managing fourth in the GG Debutante. The key information here may be that her last two failures have come on off tracks so a better surface today may see her get back on track. Its hard to rate her with her best form being on turf but she is here with a punchers chance and a decent enough draw.
6 Chai Command John Henry Bejarano R
Another who has her best form on turf she has been working well enough on dirt to give her a chance in this race. Having said that she had her chance on seasonal debut to step up on the dirt but she was a big disappointment in the Martha Washington so her ability on this surface must be taken on trust with her works.
7 Evening Star Fractious Ortiz I Jr
Took a couple to learn her craft but looked very good in breaking her maiden and then followed up with a strong win in a statebred allowance. I loved the way she picked up that day coming from a long way back and that will bode well for her getting home over this trip. She wont be one of the favorites but i think she will run a race here and will be a good bet of the odds are fair.
8 Cannolo D J C Racing Stables Gaffalione T
Just the one start as a juvenile she has had two starts for two wins at three and looks to be improving fast. I liked the fact that she had the pace to run close to the speed in her two wins over sprint trips and if she gets the trip here she could be a contender. My only worry is that her longer distance works arent as strong as her sprinting works so she still has to prove her stamina and has a sticky gate to work from today.
9 Eye Test Estero Farms Gallardo A A
Beat Buttons fairly easily in The Ruthless and looks to have improved from two to three. Again her works are strong but she has yet to sparkle over further than seven furlongs and the challenge for her will be the trip from a wide draw where she will be made to work early on.
10 Spotted Girl Chili King Stables Leparoux J R
A fairly consistent sort she looks held on dirt as her best form has been on the turf.
11 Cheetah Angelos Stable Bravo J
This horse has had horrible treatment from the draw God so much so you have to question just how random it is as this horse has been wide in every significant race it has run in, including today. She ran very well in the Forward Gal considering her draw and the fact she was a mile behind and finished like a train and she may once again have to rely on the sea’s opening up for her. I hope she runs well, because she deserves a break but she looks up against it again.
12 Blondewithhandcuffs Mb Stables Bridgmohan S
The third entry from the stable you have to wonder whether she will be sent forward as a pace setter although her works arent bad and she has a chance on her own merits. She won her maiden nicely but disapointed last time so this will be a tough ask.
SUMMARY
Very hard to read Blazing By has the form to win but everything is working as well as her so it will once again be down to the best trip to see who wins. I like Cheetah although her draw will make it tough. Out of the improvers Hollywood Spirit and Eye Test look dangers.
Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES
