Champ Vequist Makes 2021 Debut in Davona Dale

The path to the April 30 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) deepens Feb. 27 at Gulfstream Park where last year's champion 2-year-old filly Vequist is set to begin her 3-year-old campaign in the Davona Dale Stakes (G2). The one-mile Davona Dale is a springboard to the March 27 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) at 1 1/16 miles.

It won't be easy for Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable, and Swilcan Stable's daughter of Nyquist . The winner of last fall's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) doesn't have history on her side, however. The last Juvenile Fillies winner to win the Davona Dale was Cash Run in 2000.

Vequist has been prepping toward her seasonal bow at Palm Meadows Training Center for trainer Butch Reid Jr. Her latest move was five furlongs in :59 3/5 Feb. 13, and she'll have the meet's leading rider, Irad Ortiz Jr., aboard for the first time. Her just-off-the-pace style suits the Gulfstream oval and suits the one-mile trip. She was bred by Tom McGrath's Swilcan Stables and is out of the Mineshaft  mare Vero Amore.

"We've been down here a couple of months already, so we've taken our time and so far, so good," Reid told the Gulfstream Park media team. "We don't have the screws completely tightened for this one but it should be a nice stepping-stone with some big races down the line in mind."

Her main danger on paper appears to be Breeze Easy's Curlin's Catch, an Ontario-bred by Curlin  trained by Mark Casse. Curlin's Catch wired a maiden special weight field over the same strip and distance Jan. 3 by 2 3/4 lengths, then shipped to Tampa Bay Downs where she won the $100,000 Suncoast Stakes by 4 1/2 lengths.

 "In the last race we had actually planned on being a little closer, but it didn't work out that way, and it was fine," Casse said. "She handled it well. We aren't going to be very far off of it. We are cutting back from the mile and 40 yards and two turns to one turn, so that's a little different. But she's not going to be far back."

Curlin's Catch, a $430,000 Ocala Breeders' Sales' Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training is out of 2006 Canadian champion 2-year-old filly Catch the Thrill.

Sabana Farm's homebred Wholebodemeister appears able to move forward while stretching out off a third-place trip behind Zaajel in the Jan. 30 Forward Gal Stakes (G3) in Hallandale. The daughter of Bodemeister  broke her maiden locally last July but has yet to travel beyond seven panels. Juan Avila trains. Sabana Farm picked up Wholebodemeister's grade 3-placed dam, Wholelottashakin, for $200,000 at the 2014 Keeneland November sale. Sabana-bred Tonalist's Shape won last year's Davona Dale.

Entries: Davona Dale S. (G2)

Gulfstream Park, Saturday, February 27, 2021, Race 12

• Grade II
• 1m
• Dirt
• $200,000
• 3 yo Fillies
• 5:04 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Wholebodemeister (KY)	Edgard J. Zayas	120	Juan Carlos Avila	20/1
2	2Lady Traveler (KY)	Kendrick Carmouche	118	Dale L. Romans	8/1
3	3Vequist (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	123	Robert E. Reid, Jr.	7/5
4	4Curlin's Catch (ON)	Jose L. Ortiz	120	Mark E. Casse	8/1
5	5Millefeuille (KY)	John R. Velazquez	118	William I. Mott	5/1
6	6Crazy Beautiful (KY)	Robby Albarado	120	Kenneth G. McPeek	6/1
7	7Competitive Speed (KY)	Leonel Reyes	120	Javier E. Gonzalez	15/1
8	8Adios Trippi (FL)	Corey J. Lanerie	120	Peter R. Walder	15/1
9	9Hindsight (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	118	Victoria H. Oliver	20/1
10	10Happy Constitution (KY)	Junior Alvarado	118	Antonio Sano	20/1
11	11Pens Street (KY)	Miguel Angel Vasquez	118	Rohan Crichton	20/1
12	12Three Tipsy Chix (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	118	Ian R. Wilkes	20/1