Eskenformoney Heads Davona Dale Lineup

Trainer Todd Pletcher, a three-time winner of the Davona Dale Stakes (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park, will send the duo of Eskenformoney and Enchantress to the one-mile test for 3-year-old fillies Feb. 21.

An impressive two-time winner at the South Florida oval already this winter, Eskenformoney steps up into stakes company for the first time in Saturday's 28th running of the $200,000 Davona Dale, one of eight stakes on the 12-race Besilu Stables Fountain of Youth (gr. II) card. Multiple Eclipse Award winner Main Sequence will make his season debut in the $200,000 Mac Diarmida (gr. IIT) on the undercard as well.

HASKIN: Main Sequence Returns in Mac Diarmida Stakes

StarLadies Racing's Eskenformoney was winless in her first five starts before Pletcher brought her to Gulfstream, where she romped to a 9 3/4-length maiden victory Dec. 10. She followed up with an entry-level allowance score Jan. 16, both races going one mile.

"I think we have some level of confidence based on her last allowance win, but certainly it helps that she has a very good foundation at two and a lot of experience coming into it so it should help her with the step up in class," Pletcher said. "It certainly seems like the light has gone on for her."

Eskenformoney is a daughter of Eskendereya  , the 2010 Fountain of Youth winner who was Pletcher's leading Triple Crown candidate that year before being injured following a victory in the Wood Memorial (gr. I).

"Eskendereya himself was one that seemed to get better and better as the summer and fall of his 2-year-old year went along, and he found his best in his 3-year-old year," the trainer said. "This filly acts like she's kind of developing in the same manner, getting better and better as a 2-year-old and then really stepped up and ran a powerful race in a very competitive allowance race. She certainly deserves this opportunity."

Pletcher will also saddle Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, and John Tabor's Enchantress. The bay daughter of Malibu Moon   didn't get started until October of her 2-year-old season, sandwiching wins in her debut and an entry-level allowance Dec. 13 at Gulfstream around a fifth-place finish in the Tempted Stakes (gr. III) at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Enchantress opened the year dueling on a hot pace in the seven-furlong Forward Gal (gr. II) Jan. 24 at Gulfstream before weakening and finishing off the board.

"She kind of came under the gun from a pace pressure standpoint a little bit early. I think she's the kind of filly that would be more confident in a loose-on-the-lead situation where she were outside in the clear as opposed to on the rail and under pressure," Pletcher said. "But, she's come back and trained well and she was impressive in her debut and impressive in her allowance win. Now we've just got to string a couple of good performances together. We feel like the two wins are a more accurate assessment of what her actually ability is. We just need to get the right kind of setup for her to hopefully put it all together."

Eskenformoney will break from post 2 under Javier Castellano, while Enchangress drew post 9 with Hall of Famer John Velazquez. Both will carry 116 pounds.

Stonestreet Stables' Cavorting looks to return to her winning ways in the Davona Dale, which will be her first outing in 4 1/2 months since being bumped at the start and rushed up to the lead of the Frizette (gr. I) before tiring over the sloppy, sealed main track at Belmont Park. She went into the race off two victories to open her career, an 11-length maiden romp in July and a professional score in the Adirondack (gr. II) in August at Saratoga Race Course.

"We are very high on her, obviously," trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said. "She broke her maiden by 11 first time out, so she's very talented. Last time, it rained and it was a funny racetrack that day. We're happy to get her back and to the races. It's not an easy spot to jump into off a little break. There are some quality fillies in there, but we need to get her started."

A daughter of 2006 champion 2-year-old colt Bernardini  , Cavorting got some time off after the Frizette and was sent to South Florida before joining McLaughlin's string at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County. She has worked twice there leading into the Davona Dale.

"We were going to the Breeders' Cup and she just wasn't 100% so we opted to stop and send her to Stonestreet in Ocala," McLaughlin said. "They did a great job with her just giving her a little freshening up. She worked a few times there and we got her in here a couple weeks ago and she worked a couple times for us and worked very well. We feel like she might not be 100% ready to run, but she's ready to run. She puts a lot into her gallops so we think that she'll run very well. If she gets a little tired and doesn't win, at least we're back in the game."

Regular rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. will be aboard Cavorting, breaking from post 12 of 14 while part of a 116-pound impost.

Rounding out the Davona Dale field are Dale Romans-trained Birdatthewire, winner of the Forward Gal; grade III winners Ekati's Phaeton and Jacaranda, the latter unbeaten in two starts and the 120-pound highweight; Forward Gal runner-up Lassofthemohicans; Hut Hut Stakes winner Money'soncharlotte; multiple graded stakes-placed Skipalute, who was eased in the Forward Gal; allowance winner Danessa Deluxe; and maiden winners Distinta, Genre, Silverpocketsfull, and Puca, making her first start since finishing sixth in the 14 Hands Winery Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I).