Stakes Winners With Gulfstream Success Load Davona Dale
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Ryan Thompson
Girl With a Dream after winning the Forward Gal Stakes at Gulfstream Park
Winngate Stables' Kathleen O. will attempt to extend her undefeated streak to three March 5 in the $200,000 Davona Dale Stakes presented by FanDuel (G2) at Gulfstream Park.
The 3-year-old daughter of Upstart is set to make her graded-stakes debut in the mile stakes after last winning the Cash Run Stakes Jan. 1 at Gulfstream by 8 1/2 lengths. She has already exceed the high expectations of Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey because she overcame adversity in her first two starts.
"You never know they're going to be this kind. She had trained good. I was hoping she would run good in her first start, but the way she won her first start…," McGaughey said. "I'm not one to run one back in a stakes, but there wasn't anything else to run in. She was spectacular."
In her Nov. 12 debut over a muddy Aqueduct Racetrack track, Kathleen O. surged late while rallying five-wide to win a seven-furlong maiden special weight race. The fillies finishing second and third in that race both came back to win their next starts. The ever-patient McGaughey reluctantly opted to run the Kentucky-bred filly in a stakes for her second start, but she eased her trainer's concerns with her eye-catching win despite early trouble. She was shut off at the start but still finished full of run under Javier Castellano, who has the return mount Saturday.
Robert and Lawana Low's Classy Edition also enters the Davona Dale with an undefeated record, having won her first three starts in New York-bred company.
"I think it's the right time for her," Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher said.
The daughter of Classic Empire has won all her starts, including the Joseph A Gimma and Key Cents stakes by a combined 11 1/2 lengths.
"She was supposed to run in New York again, but she missed a little bit of time. We brought her down here and she's done well," Pletcher said. "As opposed to shipping her back north, we thought we'd give her a little bit more time here."
Irad Ortiz Jr., who has been aboard for her three impressive victories, has the return call.
Jim Bakke and Gerry Isbister's Girl With a Dream will chasing her fourth consecutive victory in the Davona Dale, while stretching out to a mile for the first time. The Brad Cox-trained daughter of Practical Joke is coming off a front-running victory in the seven-furlong Forward Gal Stakes (G3) Feb. 5 at Gulfstream. Luis Saez has the return call aboard the 3-1 morning line favorite.
LNJ Foxwoods's Outfoxed has a proven affinity for Gulfstream where she won two divisions in last year's FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series—taking the Susan's Girl Stakes by a stunning 13 1/2 lengths and coming right back with a 9 1/4-length win in the My Dear Girl Stakes. The daughter of Valiant Minister successfully stepped out of Florida-bred company for her 2022 debut at Tampa Bay Downs in the seven-furlong Gasparilla Stakes, in which she rallied from off the pace to win by three-quarters of a length.
Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott has named Tyler Gaffalione to ride Outfoxed.
Dixiana Farms' Cocktail Moments is scheduled to make her third start in the Davona Dale following a third-place finish around two turns in the Dec. 26 Untapable Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course and Slots. In her debut, the daughter of Uncle Mo rallied from 10th in her Churchill Downs debut to win by 9 1/4 lengths.
"I usually make horses get a little dirt in the faces. She was a little farther back than I thought she would be, but she showed a turn of foot that's amazing. She's a very good filly. She seems to be improving, maybe reminiscent of Crazy Beautiful last year," said McPeek, who saddled Crazy Beautiful for a victory in the 2021 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2).
Corey Lanerie, who was aboard for Cocktail Moment's debut, returns to the saddle Saturday.
J. and J. Stable and Nicholas Vaccarezza's Sweet Dani Girl , a stakes winner at 2, is slated to make her 3-year-old debut in the Davona Dale. The Carlo Vaccarezza-trained daughter of Jess's Dream won her first two start in Kentucky, including the six-furlong Myrtlewood Stakes at Keeneland. The homebred filly most recently finished third in the Nov. 27 Fern Creek Stakes at Churchill. Jose Ortiz is scheduled to ride Sweet Dani Girl for the first time in the Davona Dale.
Gulfstream Park, Saturday, March 05, 2022, Race 6Entries: Davona Dale S. presented by FanDuel (G2)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
Kathleen O. (KY)
Javier Castellano
120
Claude R. McGaughey III
9/2
2
Classy Edition (NY)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
120
Todd A. Pletcher
7/2
3
Girl With a Dream (KY)
Luis Saez
120
Brad H. Cox
3/1
4
Outfoxed (FL)
Tyler Gaffalione
120
William I. Mott
5/1
5
Sweet Dani Girl (FL)
Jose L. Ortiz
120
Carlo Vaccarezza
4/1
6
Cocktail Moments (KY)
Corey J. Lanerie
118
Kenneth G. McPeek
5/1
7
Mi Negrita (KY)
Junior Alvarado
118
Armando De la cerda
20/1
