Rematches Abound in Davy Jones Handicap
Race : The Davy Jones Handicap – Grade II – $200,000
ID: 3889.0214Track : Florida
Restrictions : Fillies and mares, 4 years old and up
Distance : Seven furlongs on the Dirt
The only graded race on the card this week in Florida is The Davy Jones Handicap (G2), going of as the fourteenth race on the Saturday racing card. This Grade 2 race carries with it a purse total of $200,000. This will be up for grabs for the contenders in the race, which is open to fillies and mares, four years old and up. The seven furlong dirt sprint is in its inaugural year this weekend, so whomever wins will make history as the first winner of Florida’s Davy Jones Handicap (G2). Its been dry for quite a while in the state of Florida and it looks like this trend will continue into this weekend with no rainfall meeting the surface of the dirt track during the coming days. A possible deciding factor in the race could be the heat this weekend, with temperatures expected to hover around the eighty degree margin around noontime on Saturday. With this field of seasoned fillies and mares, the heat shouldn’t be bothering them too much, however. We’ll be seeing a full field of fourteen fillies and mares going to the gate. Let us take a glance at the wonderful mares going to the gate this weekend.
1. Clark County – (Seeking The Gold x Nijinsky II x Hail To Reason) – simsters3 of Simsters3 Stables – A. Darling – 7/1
We have a well-seasoned racing veteran in this five-year-old homebred mare. She’s made twenty-six lifetime starts and brought home just over 1.5 million dollars in racing earnings for her connections. Her last start was over seven furlongs in the Catevenaly Memorial, a listed stakes race a little further north in Mississippi. The brown filly finished third in the race, just crossing the wire in time to finish on the board while recording a speed figure of one hundred seven. She’s also a proven graded stakes mare, winning last years Breeders’ Bowl Mare Sprint (G1) at seven furlongs out in California. However, he most recent graded stakes start came in December of last year during the Lightning Ladies Sprint (G1), a six and a half furlong run which was held over a good dirt track this year in Delaware. The mare again finished third in this race, back off the pace by four lengths. Since her run last year in the Breeders’ Bowl Mare Sprint, the brown mare hasn’t been able to clinch a win despite three starts after the Breeders’ Bowl. Two of these starts have been in listed stakes. So, she’ll be trying to make a bit of a rebound here in The Davy Jones Handicap (G2), hopefully returning to her prior form. The mare will probably sit back off the pace in the race towards the rear of the field before switching gears late in the stretch for her closing run.
2. Stays In Vegas – (Giant’s Causeway (IRE) x Danzig x Forty Niner) – texasace02 of Lone Star Racing – B. Boggie – 22/1
With a pedigree of what might suggest that this four-year-old homebred filly might prefer to run over the turf, this brown filly has proved to be impressive over the main track. Out of the Grade 1 winner and two-time stakes producing mare Vegas Vixen, the brown filly as earned just a little over half a million dollars in earnings with only eighteen starts throughout her carer. Her most recent start was an allowance race over six furlongs held last month in Delaware. The filly, after settling down off the pace lost ground at the wire and came home to finish just off the board in fourth. Her past graded stakes starts in the Breeders’ Bowl Mare Sprint (G1) and the Heyman Sprint Stakes (G3) yielded the filly similar results when she went to the front of the pack only to finish back further than where she started at the wire. She’s a definite speed horse and will probably take the lead out of the gates on Saturday during the race. The question with this filly will be, can she maintain her lead to the wire. The last time the filly won race was during a six furlong allowance race in New Hampshire this past September. She won by one-fourth of a length while going wire to wire in the sprint. If she can’t get the lead this weekend, she’s bound to be right along up with the pacesetters of the race, showcasing her quick speed out of the box.
3. Pearl Of Wisdom (ENG) – (Pivotal (GB) x Fusaichi Pegasus x Sadler’s Wells) – xanderman of Jrogue Stables – D. Ellard – 20/1
Out of the Grade 1 winning mare Georgia Pearl, the only offspring to go on to duplicate her mother’s success will be trying her luck with the other contenders in the Davy Jones Handicap (G2) this weekend here in Florida. A career earner of $356,606 in her lifetime as a race-mare, she’ll be looking to improve on her career earnings here. Her last two races haven’t been that promising with an eighth place finish in The David Flores (G3) and a ninth place finish in the Shirley Smith Stakes (G3). She did put in a good run at the first of the year in the Gordie’s Prints Memorial, a six and a half furlong listed stakes race held in New York. The English-bred brown filly came home second in this race, one and one-half lengths behind the eventual victor, while setting a speed figure of one hundred four. But then this was also preceded by another two off races in which the filly finished well off the board. She’ll be looking to get back some of her form here that made her a force to be reckoned with in the early part of the last racing season. She’ll probably be somewhere between the middle of the field and the back of the pack on Saturday, banking on a late stretch run to get her to the wire.
4. Miscalculation – (Unbridled’s Song x A.P. Indy x Storm Cat) – fanatical of Circusham Stables – V. Gardner – 12/1
The top earner of stakes points in the race with a total of two hundred points, the four-year-old daughter of Unbridled’s Song has collected career earnings of $1,989,120 during her fifteen lifetime starts. The dark gray filly is a two-time graded stakes winner, achieving victories in both The Cosine Cup (G1) and the Yanta Snez Stakes (G2) during her career so far. The connections of the filly will be looking for her to rebound this weekend after a ninth place finish in her most recent start, The Vermont Is 4 Lovers (G1) over nine furlongs last month. They’re hoping she’ll bounce back strongly for a win in The Davy Jones Handicap (G2). The only other real disappointment in the fillies short racing career has been a sixth place finish in the Breeders’ Bowl Mare Sprint (G1), also last year. Some of her more recent races include the listed Last Chance in 2008 Handicap Owner Restricted and the Fuzzy Math Memorial, both of which she crossed the wire second in. You can probably look for this filly to settle around mid-pack out of the starting gate this weekend and not make a move until late down the stretch.
5. Stirling Form – (A.P. Indy x Dynaformer x Storm Bird) – jrogue2 of Jrogue Stables – W. Graziano – 15/1
A clear longshot in Saturday’s race will be taking the form of this six-year-old veteran mare by top sire A.P. Indy. She’s had a tough time of it recently, finishing out of the money in quite a few of her races. Her most recent race came just last month during the Manta Serria Handicap (G2) over seven furlongs. The mare didn’t get much done in the race and finished five lengths back off the winner to cross the wire in ninth. This race was also preceded by a seventh place finish in the Lightening Ladies Sprint (G1) and a fourteenth place finish in the Breeders’ Bowl Mare Sprint (G1). There was one brief glimmer for the mare at the beginning of this racing season when she managed to finish second, back only by one length, during the Dandelion Sprint (G2) held in Arkansas this past January. Her speed figure in this race was a one hundred four and was her best finish in her last eight races. We’d have to go back a full year to the 2008 Dandelion Sprint (G2) to find the mare’s last victory. A year ago in this race she won by half a length while posting a speed figure of one hundred twelve. Some question wether age and wear and tear have perhaps finally caught up with the graded champion. She’s a determined closer who will probably be at the back of the pack this weekend when the field comes out to the track, and hopefully she’ll be able to make that comeback and go from last to first at the wire.
6. Sadlers Prospector (IRE) – (Sadler’s Wells x Nijinsky II x Mr. Prospector) – surfer of Jwolfe607 Stables – O. Barrett – 8/1
Making his graded stakes debut this weekend in The Davy Jones Handicap (G2), this five-year-old mare has a spectacular pedigree for carrying her over the seven furlong sprint on Saturday. While she may look like she may prefer the turf based on her pedigree the Irish-bred mare is a monster over the dirt, winning four consecutive races coming into The Davy Jones Handicap (G2). The most recent of these wins was in the Richmond Tigers (AUS) Challenge, a listed stakes race over seven and a half furlongs in Michigan. The brown mare won by three-fourths of a length while setting a speed figure of one hundred eight. Her other recent victories include wins in two other listed stakes including the Hannah’s Prospect Memorial and Beau Ginny Challenge. Perhaps the most challenging thing for this mare will be the step up in class to the graded level. The connections of the mare are confident that she will be up to the challenge and could possibly win in her first graded start of her career. The mare will likely be running towards the lead on Saturday, ideally sitting just off the pace of the leader going out of the gate.
7. Damphair (IRE) – (Giant’s Causeway x Rainbow Quest x Danzig) – upperhand of Given Stables – R. Maire – 11/1
Going to the gate for the first time in a graded stakes race, this Irish-bred mare with a turfy pedigree will be heading to the dirt for the twenty-sixth time in her racing career. The brown five-year-old is very successful over the main track and made her last start in the Richmond Tigers (AUS) Challenge. The mare finished third in the race, back by only three-fourths of a length in the race, narrowly being defeated in the seven and a half furlong listed stakes race. Her last five races have all wound up with the brown mare finishing on the board, including an impressive one and three-fourth length win in the Bad Toilet Challenge, another seven and a half furlong sprint. The mares top speed figure has been a one hundred seven, earned in her last start during the Richmond Tigers (AUS) Challenge. The mare will probably be forwardly placed in the race on Saturday, sitting just slightly off the pace of the front runners, hoping to make a run to catch them by surprise as the field comes down the stretch.
8. Vo Mimbre – (Ghostzapper x Seattle Slew x Strike The Gold) – cupfly of Brundlefly Stables – W. Case – 5/1
The picture of consistency and having a blue-blooded pedigree to match, the five-five-year old mare from Kentucky will most definitely be top contender in the Davy Jones Handicap (G2) this weekend. Lightly raced, the brown mare has won seven of her fifteen lifetime starts and has only finished off the board once during her racing career. The mare’s most recent start came across the border in Mexico during the Shirley Smith Stakes (G3) over seven furlongs on the dirt. The mare won the race by stalking the pace, going on to win convincingly by two and a half lengths with a speed figure of one hundred eleven. This was just the second graded stakes start for the mare who had previously finished third in the Dandelion Sprint (G2) over six and a half furlongs. She’ll be a tough one to beat given her consistency. The only race she ever finished off the board in was in an eight furlong allowance race, her first and only attempt over a longer distance. The mare will likely run mid-pack in the race, sitting back in fifth or sixth until she will probably go to make an early move on the turn to get the jump on the later closing horses in the field.
9. Blue Letter – (War Eagle x Deputy Minister x Mr. Prospector) – newastin4 of Astins Place – W. Marshall – 11/1
By the perhaps obscure sire War Eagle, the four-year-old brown filly is out of the stakes winning mare Sunstar, who has produced two stakes winners in her new career as a broodmare. The brown filly has been lightly raced throughout her career with just sixteen lifetime starts, though she has gone on to cross the wire first in eleven of these races. The most recent start for the Louisiana-bred filly was the Manta Serria Handicap (G2) last month. The filly finished second in the race, back off the pace by one length, while coming home with a speed figure of one hundred eight in the seven furlong sprint. This was only the second graded stakes start for the filly and her first graded finish on the board. Her only other graded start came in the Heyman Sprint Stakes (G3) over six furlongs in October of last year. The filly finished seventh in this race, but quickly regained her momentum and won her next two starts before finishing second in the Manta Serria Handicap (G2). She’ll be trying to secure her first graded win with some impressively company in the Davy Jones Handicap (G2) this weekend. Lately the filly has been running in the style of a late closer, starting her races far off the pace before a powerful stretch drive. However, earlier in her racing career we saw the filly run in the middle of the pack up closer to the pace.
10. Royal Birkdale – (Speightstown x Golden Missile x Seattle Slew) – elranchoti of Seveii Stables – M. Anderson – 8/1
Making her thirty-second career start this weekend, the chestnut five-year-old out of of the race winning mare Golden Reasoning will be making her second consecutive graded stakes start this weekend. Her last start came during the Shirley Smith Stakes (G3) at seven furlongs. The chestnut mare finished just on the board in third position with a speed figure of one hundred six to her credit for the sprint. She had just come out of a victory in her prior race in the Destiny’s Dream Stakes, a listed stakes race also over seven furlongs. Seven furlongs is the chestnut fillies specialty distance. Her most recent race not over the distance of seven furlongs was in The Girls Just Right Stakes (G3) over seven and a half furlongs. She finished thirteenth in the race, ten and one-fourth lengths back off the pace. At seven furlongs however, the chestnut mare is fairly impressive, only having a few off-races. She’ll likely be way off the pace of the rest of the field this weekend and will probably like to be well at the back of the pack, starting to get into a late charge once the field reaches a furlong or so before the stretch.
11. Furion Stage – (Speightstown x War Chant x Kingmambo) – unsunghero of Gatetowire Stables – C. Faucher – 12/1
At six years of age she is one of the older mares to be running in this weekends race. Despite this, she has been lightly raced throughout her career and has made only twenty-seven lifetime starts. The most recent race for the brown mare was in The C My Tail Special, a six furlong listed stakes race held overseas in Tasmania. The mare got close to a win in this race, but was nabbed in a photo finish and placed in second, back by a mere head. She set a speed figure of one hundred four for the race. This is the best the mare has done in a while, having several recent disappointments in her races. Her last graded start came in October of last year during the Heyman Sprint Stakes (G3) at six furlongs. The mare finished five and a half lengths off the pace of the winner in this race, crossing the wire in ninth. One would have to go back towards the middle of last year to the CVBear’s Hometown Handicap (G3) to find the last time the mare won a race. This victory was by half a length, once again at six furlongs, with a speed figure of one hundred nine. The mare will likely be up towards the lead, likely sitting right off the pace of the leader coming out of the gate, and will hopefully have enough gas in the tank afterwards to put in a good run down the stretch.
12. Doctor Danzig – (Speightstown x Danzig x J.O Tobin) – manon of Ace Stables – L. Buchta – 6/1
A late entry into The Davy Jones Handicap (G2) field, this six-year-old racing veteran has been lightly raced and will be making her twenty-sixth career start this weekend. With a total of $810,061 she is fast approaching the one million dollar mark in career earnings and a win here this weekend could push her closer to this goal. Her last race was the seven furlong Shirley Smith Stakes (G3) where the brown mare, out of the graded placed dam Doctor J.O., finished second at the wire, two and a half lengths back with a speed figure of one hundred seven. She is the second place finisher in last years’ Breeders’ Bowl Mare Sprint (G1) and after that start she went on to win the Air Line Handicap (G3) at a mile. She’ll probably stalk the pace coming out of the gate and will likely be back no further than fifth place out on the track this weekend.
13. Fifth Street – (Silver Ghost x Deputy Minister x A.P, Indy) – lenny30 of Lenny30 Stables – M. Wright – 8/1
A phenomenal light gray mare, the Kentucky-bred has made twenty-eight career starts and earned just over a million dollars in lifetime career earnings. She’s had her ups and down in her past few races, but for the most part this is a very consistent five-year-old mare with a very quick turn of foot. Her most recent race was the listed Catevenaly Memorial over seven furlongs. The light gray mare won this race impressively with a speed figure of one hundred ten by one and one-fourth lengths. She also recently put in other graded stakes victories in the Blueberry Stakes (G3) and in the Second Wind Sprint (G1). However, the mare came up with a mystery race in the Lightning Ladies Sprint (G1) where she finished eighth over the good dirt track. This was despite being tried over the distance and off track surfaces prior in her career and doing well over both. Her victory in The Second Wind Sprint (G1) was over a good dirt track. Despite this, she did manage to come back impressively in the Catevenaly Memorial. Also a little bit of a let down for her connections was the mares third place finish in the Breeders’ Bowl Mare Sprint (G1), where she came up against Clark County, who will also be running in this weekends Davy Jones Handicap (G2). The two mares have faced off against each other three times in their last seven races. Like her chief rival, Fifth Street should begin her race off the pace and not begin to make her move until the field moves into the stretch.
14. Skidburg – (Johannesburg x Sadler’s Wells x Seattle Slew) – nblye of Jrogue Stables – P. McAfee – 14/1
Coming off a length long victory in the Mantra Serria Handicap (G2) over seven furlongs, the brown filly is out of the stakes winning mare Well Saddled. With a total of twenty-one career starts, the four-year-old has made six trips to the winners circle during her career, including her last trip during a graded stakes race. Prior to this start in the Mantra Serria Handicap (G2) the filly had been struggling, finishing off of the board in the listed stakes races The Bluster Miss NC Challenge and The Neurotic Dane Challenge, the first at seven and a half furlongs and the second at a grueling nine furlongs. Her trip in the Mantra Serria Handicap (G2) was only the second graded start of the fillies career. Her first graded stakes start came in October of last year during the King Classic (G2), over nine and a half furlongs, held last year over a good dirt track. With nine furlongs not being the fillies best distance, she finished ninth in her graded stakes debut. She should be up near or on the lead coming out of the gate this weekend in The Davy Jones Handicap (G2), and at seven furlongs should have enough stamina to be able to last to the wire in this weekends race.
Tecora’s SelectionsDespite the possibility of a hyped up rematch between Fifth Street and Clark County, coming to yet another showdown between the two, I think both of them will probably end up being overshadowed this week by the race favorite, Vo Mimbre. She’s only finished off the board once in her career and her past races have been very impressive, the most recent being a two and a half-length in with a one hundred eleven speed figure. I think she’ll be able to make it two consecutive this weekend. For the place I like Fifth Street. Again, a very consistent mare despite her weird start in the Lightening Ladies Sprint (G1) last December. With this being a fast track, she should put in another good race here. In third, I like the remaining horse of the ones I’ve already mentioned, Clark County. She’s had some nice speed figures but has been on a bit of a downward spiral in her last three races in the speed figure department, however, I do think she’s coming back to an incline and would be a good pick for the third slot this weekend.