Florida Hosts Impressive Field in the Grade II Davey Jones Handicap

A strong field of ten older fillies and mares are set to head to the post in the $375,000 Grade II Davey Jones Handicap in Florida on Sunday. The race will be contested at seven furlongs on the dirt, and features nine stakes winners, including three graded stakes winners.

1 – GALYDAR (5-1)

The most accomplished horse in the field, Galydar has won 11 of 18 races and earned over $1.2 million for chaseadar3. The five-year-old chestnut mare boasts four graded wins, including a triumph in the Grade 1 Humane Distaff at today’s distance last May. She’s raced just once this year, winning in Allowance company in late January after taking almost three months off following a sixth place finish in the Breeders Bowl Filly and Mare Dirt Sprint. This remarkably consistent runner has posted 13 straight triple digit speed figures, dating back almost two years. Ignore this classy daughter of Lion Heart at your own risk.

2 – OF THE GIRL (5-1)

This nicely-bred mare (Smart Strike x Danehill x A.P. Indy) boasts a trio of listed stakes victories among her seven wins in 19 starts. She’s earned over $420,000 for trainer kaner10 (kaner). Of The Girl has posted eight straight triple digit speed figures, dating back to last June, and her career best of 113 looks good relative to most of her rivals in today’s field. She finished fourth over this track in the Grade 3 Leading Lady at six furlongs in January, but was flying at the end and figures to appreciate the extra distance today. A live one.

3 – KYMAR LITHIUM (6-1)

This kanada-trainee has a pair of Grade 3 victories on her resume, leading the field home in the Go For It Handicap and Blueberry Stakes last year. The five-year-old daughter of First Defence has won seven of 21 starts, and will surpass $400,000 in earnings with an in the money finish today. Kymar Lithium has posted 11 straight triple digit speed figures, and appears well-placed today after a fifth place finish in the Grade 1 Everclear Handicap in late January. We’re looking elsewhere for the winner, but can’t fault those who put her on the top of their tickets.

4 – ON THE FIRST DATE (13-1)

The most experienced runner in today’s field, this 42ndstreet-trainee (spinround) has made 23 trips to the post. She’s won six times, and is closing in on $200,000 in career earnings. The five-year old daughter of Hard Spun is out of the Grade 1 winning mare Bo’s Bomb, who has foaled four stakes winners. After an inauspicious start to her career, with just one win in her first 14 starts, On The First Date has been very well-managed recently, hitting the board in six straight races. Last time out she won in her first try in stakes company, capturing the Lever Busting Dirt Mare Sprint at six furlongs by half a length with a career-best speed figure of 108. This late bloomer will need to continue improving to top this field

5 – BOMBASTIC COMFORT (7-1)

This five-year-old daughter of Tapit is out of stakes winning mare Miss Mama, who has also produced three stakes winners, including Bombastic Comfort. She’s won seven of 20 starts, earning over $250,000 for scorehobby4 (handshobby). Bombastic Comfort is coming off one of the best races of her career, a 1 ½ length win at today’s distance in Iowa in the Pro In An Citing Dirt Mare Sprint in late January. Trending in the right direction, and those who wager on her seem to be getting a fair price.

6 – BOURBON HOT TODDY (8-1)

A five-year-old daughter of Scat Daddy, Bourbon Hot Toddy has won four times in 16 starts. She’s earned almost $180,000 for 3dddz, including a win in the Mambo Cat Three Dirt Memorial last July. Since that win, she’s hit the board just once in four races in stakes company. With six triple digit speed figures in a row, it’s hard to throw her out. We’re putting our money elsewhere, but can’t criticize those putting a few bucks on her at a generous price.

7 – WARPAIN (11-1)

This four-year-old filly has already raced 21 times for curlin99 (gatetowire), earning almost $300,000 with seven wins. The daughter of War Front is out of graded winner Manilla Pain, whose 15 foals include an incredible nine stakes winners! Warpain had struggled since recording her first stakes win in the Crafty Kitten Dirt Filly Dash in October, failing to hit the board in three tries in graded company since then. We think some of Warpain’s rivals are better suited for today’s distance, and have a hard time recommending her against this accomplished field.

8 – VINE TAILS (5-1)

This Aussie-bred daughter of Tale of the Cat is the only runner in today’s field that hasn’t won a stakes race. That said, the five-year-old has won eight times in 19 starts, and is closing in on a quarter of a million dollars in earnings. Those who believe the numbers don’t lie may find value here, as Vine Tails is coming of a career-best 114 speed in an Allowance win in Ohio at today’s distance, which marked her eighth straight race with a triple digit figure. Those focused on class will probably look elsewhere, since in three tries in stakes company this tea3-trainee’s best finish is eighth. 

9 – ATOM STORM (15-1)

If you search “impeccably-bred” on Google, you’re likely to find a link to this four-year-old filly. The daughter of Hall of Fame dam Swell Prospector, who produced five graded stakes winners, Atom Storm (Tapit x Storm Cat x Mr. Prospector) is likely to also be quite valuable in the breeding shed once her racing career is over. She’s won five of 15 starts, including a pair of Grade 2 victories at today’s distance. Atom Storm hit the board in five straight graded events during her three-year-old season before struggling in her last three races of 2017. This wolflodge-trainee (gatetowire) will make her 2018 debut today after being on the farm since late October. The only question is whether she’ll need a race coming off that long rest. At the longest odds in the field, we think she’s worth a look.

10 – ICANTREMEMBERNOW (4-1)

There’s a lot to like about this teamasr5-trained (tenpoint) mare. This beautifully-bred (Awesome Again x A.P. Indy x Nijinsky II) five-year-old has hit the board in 15 of 20 starts, with seven wins, including two in stakes company. Her career-best speed figure of 117 is the tops in this field, and she’s posted seven straight triple digit figures. Icantremembernow finished third in the Grade 1 Everclear Handicap last time out, besting one of today’s rivals, Kymar Lithium, by three lengths. Looks poised for a big race, and if she’s on her game she’ll be tough to beat.

 

POINTGUARD’S PICKS:

 

WIN – ICANTREMEMBERNOW (4-1)

PLACE – OF THE GIRL (5-1)

SHOW – GALYDAR (5-1)

BEST LONGSHOT – ATOM STORM (15-1)