Davola Dane South

The first graded stakes on our Saturday card here in Florida will be the Davola Dane South (G3) at a mile on the main dirt track. The race, open to three-year-old fillies has attracted nearly a full field with thirteen to make to their way to the starting gate this weekend. The weather has been perfect the past week, leaving us with a track that looks to be fast at post time for the race, which is offering a purse of $150,000. Let’s take a look at the fillies that will be making their way to the starting gate this year.  

1. Elusive Lynx – amir1988 – R. Stacy – 29/1 

First into the starting gate will be this brown filly, who is making her second lifetime start in this race. The least experienced filly in the field in terms of number of starts, the filly will be going off at longer odds for the race this weekend. Her sole start came here in Florida last December during a maiden special weight at a mile. Out of the gate just behind the front runner initially, the brown filly quickly took control of the pace and led the field throughout the rest of the race, crossing the wire in front by two with a speed figure of sixty-eight. 

2. Beer Theory – amir1632 – D. Esperado – 11/1 

Next up we will have a second entry for the amir stable group in this chestnut filly by Curlin. The filly will be making her first appearance in graded company this Saturday after making eight lifetime starts. The most recent start for the filly was in a listed stakes over eight and a half furlongs over a sloppy dirt track in Illinois. The filly settled just off the pace in third out of the gate, but was caught in the final furlongs and pushed back into sixth at the wire, setting a speed figure of ninety-two for the race, a lifetime best speed figure for the race. The last win for the filly was last year when she broke her maiden as a two-year-old in a seven furlong race in Kentucky on a dirt track rated as good. 

3. Lefty Grove – sara101 – C. Capper – 6/1 

Making her second start in graded company, the bay filly by War Front will be making her eighth career start this weekend. Most recently, the filly started in the Reflection Futurity (G3) at a mile in Canada. The filly was held well off the pace at the start of the mile long endeavor. She gained ground late in the race, but finished off the board in sixth, though setting a lifetime best speed figure of ninety-six. The filly won her prior start, a mile long allowance race last November by two lengths.   

4. Sweet Tea LV – bizalls5 – D. Givins – 7/1 

Making her graded stakes deubt this weekend, the light grey filly is by top sire Tapit and is coming off a win in a listed stakes over a mile in Kansas. The filly settled just off the pace of the front runner, but took control off the pace midway through the race and going on to win by a length and a half with a speed figure of ninety-seven; which is a lifetime best speed figure for the filly. She’d also previously finished on the board in third in another listed stakes race in West Virginia, also over a mile. 

5. Sapphiyra – valesa15 – H. Teige – 14/1 

Returning to the dirt after a foray into the turf, this bay filly is by Uncle Mo and out of Grade III winning broodmare She Walksin Beauty. The filly most recently raced in Kentucky over eight and a half furlongs in an allowance race over the turf. The filly broke on the lead but was overtaken midway through and crossed the wire in second with a speed figure of eighty-eight. Her most recent dirt start was as a two-year-old during The Chicago-DC Lassie (G3) at eight furlongs in Illinois. The filly put up the same speed figure, coming out of the gate second, but fading in the finial furlongs to fifth, two and a half lengths back. The most recent win for the filly was here in Florida during an allowance race at six and a half furlongs in April.  

6. Holier Than Bulb – superman99 – H. McCoy – 7/1 

Into gate six, this filly has the most experience going into the weekends race with nine lifetime starts. She is out of the Grade I winning broodmare Holy Bulb and by Medaglia d’Oro. The brown filly will be making her graded stakes debut in the race this weekend. Her most recent start came during an allowance race at nine furlongs in Kentucky early in January. The brown filly took the race in wire to wire fasion, winning by two and a half lengths with a speed figure of ninety-two, a lifetime best for the filly. Her only listed start came in the prior race in Pennsylvania at eight and a half furlongs. Sent straight to the lead once again, the filly was overtaken at the midway point of the race to finish sixth.  

7. Australian War (AUS) – surfcatt2 – K. Friar – 12/1  

The first of two Australian-bred horses to head to the starting gate this Saturday, the filly, by Denman (AUS) started her racing career on the turf, but has made two starts on the dirt leading up to this weekends race. The most recent start for the brown filly was over eight furlongs on the dirt during an allowance race in Kentucky. The filly was held back towards the middle of the field at the break and urged forwards in the stretch. The filly would cross the wire second, just three-quarters of a length off the winner and set a speed figure of ninety-one, which was a lifetime best for the filly. The most recent win for the filly was June of last year of her two-year-old season where she crossed the wire two and a quarter lengths in front during a seven furlong maiden claiming race. 

8. Odesa – oaktree – M. Isdell – 6/1 

Making her sixth career start this weekend, the bay filly is by Constitution and is placed in listed stakes races, but will be making her debut against graded company this weekend. The most recent start for the filly was in Canada during a listed race over eight and a half furlongs. Settling back in seventh early on out of the gate, the filly gradually began to gain some steam, going on to finish just on the board in third, three and a quarter lengths back from the winner, while setting a speed figure of ninety-two. Her most recent victory was a couple of races prior, during an allowance race over the same distance in Kentucky, which the filly won by two and a quarter.  

9. American Bern Lady – dkstables24 – O. A. Haack – 8/1 

Making just her fifth career start and second start against graded company this weekend, the bay filly by Triple Crown winner American Pharoah most recently started in the Golden Red Stakes (G2) at a mile and one sixteenth. Set out of the gate to the lead at the break, the filly maintained her lead on the field up until the stretch were she was overtaken by late closing competitors to finish just off the board in fifth, equaling a lifetime best speed figure of ninety. This was the fillies first off the board finish. Prior to this start, the filly won an eight and a half furlong allowance race in wire to wire fashion. 

10. Corona Premier – hoosier23 – R. Bokie – 6/1 

Going into gate ten we will have the first of two fillies going to the post this weekend with graded placings on their repertoire. This three-year-old brown filly is by Authentic and most recent started in the Reflection Futurity (G3) at a mile in Canada. Forwardly placed at out of the starting gate, the filly would get overtaken in the stretch to finish seventh, though only three and three-quarter lengths off from the winner. The most recent win for the filly was here in Florida during her two-year-old season during an allowance race at a mile. The filly won this race in wire to wire fashion. In June of her two-year-old season the filly would come home third in the Stoker Handicap (G2) at six and a half furlongs, earning her her graded placement.  

11. Ryans Music – carryall – E. Sharp – 6/1 

Next up we have our other contender with a graded placement in her list of accomplishments. The bay filly most recently started across the country in California during the Movieland Starlet (G1) at a mile and one sixteenth. Breaking towards the rear of the field in this start, the filly made up some ground in the stretch, but only managed to cross the wire eighth with a speed figure of ninety-two. Previously the filly had finished third in The Adam’s Apple (G3) over a mile in New York, setting a lifetime best speed figure of ninety-three. The fillies most recent win was in July during an allowance race over seven furlongs on a dirt track rated as good, also in New York. 

12. Prayers Raid – holdingnyc – M. Wright – 37/1 

The longshot of Saturday’s field, this brown filly, along with many of the field this weekend, will be making her graded stakes debut. Going into her sixth start this weekend, the filly most recently started here in Florida in a seven and a half furlong allowance race. Breaking seventh out of the gate, the filly would cross the wire in sixth, five and a half furlongs off the pace and setting a lifetime best speed figure of seventy-eight. The most recent win for the filly was out in California when she broke her maiden in May over six and a half furlongs. Along with the jump in class, the filly has never started over the eight furlong distance, though the connections of the filly are hopeful that the added distance may help the daughter of Exaggerator.  

13. Cobra Kais (AUS) – corzak4 – D. Bufoseguias – 12/1 

Last into the gate will be the second Australian-bred in the field. The bay filly has been pretty accomplished on the turf, but will be making her first start over the dirt this weekend, as well as her first start in the United States. The most recent start for the three-year-old was early this January during a listed stakes race at five furlongs in England. Held back in third at the start, just off the pack leaders, the filly would be urged up into second, through was overtaken again in the stretch to come home third in the race with a speed figure of eighty-four. The most recent win for the filly was last May, also during a listed stakes race in England. Run similarly to her most recent start, the filly was held back in third, but gained the lead midway through the race, and went on to win by a length over the five and a half furlongs. The filly has made three piror graded starts, all over the turf, in which she finished off the board.  

Flrancho’s Picks 

Win: Sweet Tea LV 

Place: Ryans Music 

Show: Lefty Grove