Zito's Bird Town Romps In Charon
Southeast -- Unbeaten champion
Storm Flag Flying remains the star of trainer Shug McGaughey's stable,
but he appears to have another Kentucky Oaks (Grade I) contender in
Yell, winner of Sunday's Davona Dale (GIII) at Gulfstream Park.
The regally-bred daughter of A.P. Indy romped to a six-length
victory over Ivanavinalot in her stakes debut for owners Claiborne Farm
and Adele Dilschneider. Gold Player was third and Perfect Story
finished fourth. The favored Golden Rod (GII) winner My Boston Gal was
fifth and last, beaten 23 lengths. Yell was coming off a win in a
Gulfstream allowance race.
"We were taking kind of a big step forward with her and she
really responded," McGaughey told Daily Racing Form. "She settled
in kindly behind the leaders and when it came time, she responded and
won kind of easily."
John Velazquez rode Yell, who covered 1 1/16-miles on a "fast"
track in 1:44.96.
McGaughey said Yell would most likely run next in the Bonnie
Miss (GII) at Gulfstream Park on March 14.
A throat problem may have contributed to the poor effort in the
Davona Dale by previously unbeaten My Boston Gal. Trainer Carl Nazfger
said Monday that a post-race examination revealed an ulcer on the
filly's epiglottis and he suspects that the ailment may have caused My
Boston Gal to displace her soft palate, which would have restricted her
air flow.
"Calvin (jockey Calvin Borel) said he ran out of horse all at
once," Nafzger said. "She came out of the race fine. We'll
just let the ulcer heal up and then we'll see how she does."
Nafzger said he will take a "wait and see" approach to the
filly's next race, but would not rule out a run in the Bonnie
Miss on March 14 if My Boston Gal made a quick recovery and continued to
train well.
Marylou Whitney Stable's Bird Town provided Sunday's Gulfstream
crowd with an early clue to Yell's big run in the Davona Dale when the
Nick Zito-trained daughter of Cape Town romped to a 12 1/2-length win in
the $50,000 Charon Stakes.
Bird Town ($8.80) was coming off a runner-up finish in a Jan. 21
allowance race at Gulfstream in which she lost by a neck to Yell. On
Sunday, Zito's filly laid just behind the early pace and drew away in
the stretch under jockey Eibar Coa to defeat Crafty Brat and the
Nafzger-trained favorite, Westerly Breeze. Bird Town covered seven
furlongs in 1:22.90.
The Graham Motion-trained Spin Control could be a
late-developing Kentucky Oaks (GI) contender. The daughter of
A.P. Indy scored 13 1/4-length victory on Sunday in a 1 1/8-mile maiden
race at Gulfstream Park. Edgar Prado was aboard.
Just Bill Me, hampered by poor starts in her two previous races,
broke cleanly on Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs and held on to defeat
Crimson and Roses the $50,000 Sun Coast Stakes. Rosemary Homeister, Jr.
rode the winner.
Central -- Last
week's romp by Belle of Perintown in the Silverbulletday (GIII) at the
Fair Grounds was a milestone in the career of Irish-born trainer Eddie
Kenneally.
The victory was Kenneally's first graded stakes win. He told
the New Orleans Times-Picayune that the daughter of Dehere is expected
to make her next start in the Fair Grounds Oaks (GII) on March 8.
"Hopefully we're not coming back too soon," said Kenneally.
"Three weeks is a little short. I'd prefer four, but the main thing is
she's doing good."
« Back To Oaks Updates