Yell Does the Hollering in Davona Dale

My Boston Gal and Ivanavinalot were the fancied runners in Sunday's $150,000 Davona Dale Stakes (gr. II) that drew a field of five 3-year-old fillies at Gulfstream Park, but it was Yell and jockey John Velazquez who did all the hollering.

Bred and owned by Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider, Velazquez brought the daughter of A.P. Indy outside of Ivanavinalot and Gold Player on the turn for home, grabbed the lead at the top of the stretch and drew off to a commanding victory of about six lengths. Ivanavinalot held on for second, with Gold Player a distant third. Perfect Story ran fourth, with Boston Gal, the 3-2 favorite, finishing last.

Final time for the 1 1/16-mile Davona Dale contested on a main track listed as good was 1:44.96.

It was a profitable weekend at Gulfstream for Velazquez, who also won the $500,000 Donn Handicap Saturday aboard Harlan's Holiday.

Trained by Claude McGaughey, the stablemate of Storm Flag Flying won her third straight. A winner by a neck over Bird Town in a first-level allowance race at Gulfstream on Jan. 16 in her last race, the Davona Dale was Yell's first appearance in a stakes race. Out of the Northern Dancer mare Wild Applause, she has now won three of four lifetime with career earnings of $142,950.

Ivanavinalot and jockey Manoel Cruz jumped out early to establish the lead with Perfect Story tracking her closely through fractions of :23 for the opening quarter-mile, :47 1/5 for the half and 1:22 for six furlongs. Yell, running third alongside My Boston Gal down the backstretch, made a wide move on the turn, ran evenly with the leaders to the top of the stretch and established her authority through the lane, winning as much the best.

Sent off at 5-1 in a field reduced to five by the scratch of Smokey Blue, Yell paid $12.40, $4.40 and $2.40. Ivanavinalot, the 9-5 second choice, returned $3 and $2.10. Perfect Story's show price was $2.40. The $2 exacta was worth $38.20.

(Chart, Equibase)