Seven 3-year-old fillies, led by co-highweights Sis City and Leona's Knight, will face the starter in Gulfstream's grade II Davona Dale Stakes Saturday, each assigned an impost of 121 pounds.
Sanford Goldfarb, Joe Torre, Michael Dubb, and Ira Davis' Sis City, with world-killer John Velazquez aboard, is set to leave from post 2 in the 1 1/8-mile affair. The daughter of
Slew City Slew was victorious in her last outing as a juvenile in the Demoiselle Stakes (gr. II) at Aqueduct in late November. A driving 3 3/4-length winner in that race, Sis City had a wide trip, finishing fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) prior to that effort.
Bred in Kentucky by Heiligbrodt Stable, who raced her before trainer Richard Dutrow claimed her for $50,000 in her third start on Goldfarb's behalf, Sis City has two stakes wins to her credit and has hit the board in five of her seven starts. A devout speedster with a string of fine recent works, look for her to set the pace.
Rose Family Stable's Florida homebred Leona's Knight makes her first start on the Gulfstream surface after 10 straight outings at Calder. The daughter of Suave Prospect has a stakes win under her girth, taking the Three Ring Stakes in early December before trying the grass in a 10th-place finish New Year's Day in the Tropical Park Oaks.
Trainer Barry Rose's charge has hit the board in five of her 10 trips postward and should stalk Sis City from just off the pace, breaking from post 6.
Adding some intrigue to the contest is Live Oak Plantation's In the Gold. Bred in Kentucky by Whitewood Stable, the daughter of hot sire
Golden Missile took an allowance over the surface in mid-January and was third--just edged out by a head--in a thrilling finish in Keeneland's Darley Alcibiades Stakes (gr. II)
A $250,000 2003 Saratoga yearling sale graduate, In the Gold is conditioned by Nick Zito and has been putting in some nice works over the Gulfstream surface. Look for her and Edgar Prado to find a stalking position from post 3, carrying 117.
Mocita, Kristen Kristen, Dance Away Capote, and Jill Robin round out the field from the rail out.
Davona Dale Stakes (gr. II), 3-Year-Old Fillies, 1 1/8 miles, $150,000, 3:22 PM EDT.PP -- Horse, weight, jockey
1--Mocita, 115, Eddie Castro
2--Sis City, 121, John Velazquez
3--In the Gold, 117, Edgar Prado
4--Kristen Kristen, 115, Brice Blanc
5--Dance Away Capote, 119, Ramon Dominguez
6--Leona' Knight, 121, Carlos Olivero
7--Jill Robin, 117, Roberto Alvarado
