Calumet’s She Be Smooth romps in Davona Dale; Paradise takes flight in Busher

Feb 28, 2026 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

She Be Smooth wins the Davona Dale at Gulfstream Park. (Photo by Coglianese Photos)

The Davona Dale (G2) is named after the 1979 Kentucky Oaks (G1) champion, one of the Hall of Famers for historic Calumet Farm. So it was entirely fitting that Saturday’s $205,000 renewal of the Davona Dale witnessed a breakout performance from Calumet’s homebred She Be Smooth at Gulfstream Park.

Paradise was entered in the Davona Dale, but she scratched and opted to ship north for Saturday’s other Oaks scoring race, the $194,000 Busher S. at Aqueduct. That move by trainer Brad Cox paid off, as Paradise won handsomely.

Davona Dale (G2)

She Be Smooth was taking a class hike after a smart debut victory over this same track and one-turn mile on Jan. 23. The Todd Pletcher trainee went off as the 5.80-1 third choice, with bettors backing On Time Girl into 4-5 favoritism.

But On Time Girl, winner of the seven-furlong Forward Gal (G3) last time out, did not prove as effective on the incremental step up in distance. She got no nearer than third behind the impressive She Be Smooth.

Patiently handled by Flavien Prat, She Be Smooth settled well back in last behind a robust pace. Omaha Bay rattled off fractions of :23.48, :46.15, and 1:11.36, and the chasing My Miss Mo increased her pressure on the pacesetter.

As the leaders dueled around the far turn, She Be Smooth uncorked an eye-catching rally along the inside. She tipped out swinging into the stretch, full of run, and blew past My Miss Mo and Omaha Bay.

Widening her margin to six lengths, She Be Smooth clocked 1:37.78 and earned 50 points toward the Oaks.

My Miss Mo kept on gamely for second (25 points), a half-length up on the mildly-closing On Time Girl (15 points for a total of 35). Omaha Bay checked in fourth (10 points), followed by Haute Diva (five points in fifth), Swing Vote, and Imperatrice. Blazing Brat was scratched, like Paradise, and ran in the Busher instead.

She Be Smooth, who returned $13.60, is now 2-for-2 with $162,320 in her account.

“She’s been very impressive in both of her starts here,” Pletcher said. “She seems to be steadily improving. I think the more distance the better for her. We thought we might get a good pace setup.

“I told Flavien to be patient with her, that she’d deliver a good late run. He gave her a beautiful ride. He was able to save ground around the turn and then angle out at the top of the stretch and she finished really nicely.”

Kentucky-bred She Be Smooth is from the first crop of Lexitonian, a Calumet homebred himself who stands at the iconic farm. The chestnut is out of Grade 1-winning millionaire Seattle Smooth, a mare by Quiet American.

Calumet ranks as the all-time leading owner and breeder in the history of both the Kentucky Derby (G1) and the Oaks. Six homebred fillies have won the Oaks – Nellie L. (1943), Wistful (1949), Real Delight (1952), Bubbley (1953), Princess Turia (1956), and Davona Dale. She Be Smooth could try to make it seven on the first Friday in May.

Busher S.

With just five entrants, the Busher’s points were reduced to 75% of its original allocation. Thus Paradise picked up 37.5 points (rather than 50) for her successful stakes debut.

Co-owned by NK Racing and LNJ Foxwoods, Paradise was favored off a front-running maiden score going a similar one-turn mile at Gulfstream. But the Gun Runner filly was happy to play a stalking role here with new rider Manny Franco.

Paradise sat in third as Current Yield led the way from Interstatelovesong early. After Current Yield carved out solid fractions of :23.38 and :46.75, Interstatelovesong took over by the six-furlong mark in 1:11.56.

But Paradise was already on the premises to challenge. Driving clear with Manny Franco aboard, the chestnut rolled to a 3 3/4-length score in a final time of 1:38.53.

Nycon closed to grab second (18.75 points) by a neck from Interstatelovesong (11.25 points for third). Current Yield retreated to fourth (7.5 points), and Blazing Brat trailed in fifth (3.75 points).

🌴🌸 PARADISE runs down INSTERSTATELOVESONG to win the Busher S. at Aqueduct and picks up 37.5 points towards the Kentucky Oaks!

Owned by @lnjfoxwoods, the 3YO filly is trained by @bradcoxracing and was piloted by @jockeyfranco. pic.twitter.com/dqoCOAmblw

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) February 28, 2026

Paradise paid $4.72 while increasing her earnings to $174,800 from her 3-2-1-0 record. Bred by Ciaglia Racing, HNDEH, and Domenic Savides in Kentucky, the $700,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling is making good on her purchase price.

“I thought it was encouraging that she was able to sit as close to that pace as she did and finish up the way she did,” Cox said of her Busher performance.

Larry Roth, the “L” in LNJ Foxwoods, commented on how Paradise ended up here instead of in the Davona Dale.

“My daughter (Jaime) is much more involved in the operation than I am – I sign the checks,” Roth laughed.

“Jaime speaks to our bloodstock agents, and they decide after speaking to the trainers what the next steps are. She was entered in two races – at Gulfstream in the Davona Dale and here. He (Cox) thought this was a better place to run. We agreed, and we are thrilled.”

The April 4 Gazelle (G3) is next on Aqueduct’s Road to the Kentucky Oaks, but Roth sounded a cautionary note about the step up to 1 1/8 miles.

“I don’t know. We’re not sure she can go that long,” Roth said. “We got points today, and we’re in the mix, but we really don’t know whether she really wants to go that distance. We’ll try and see if she can go longer, and then we’ll see about the Oaks.”

Paradise’s mother, Venetian Harbor, faced a similar question mark on the 2020 Oaks trail herself. Although she dominated that spring’s Las Virgenes (G2), Venetian Harbor settled for second in the Fantasy (G3) and Ashland (G1). As a result, the daughter of Munnings shortened up in distance and did not contest the Oaks.

Might Paradise inherit more stamina from her Hall of Fame sire, Gun Runner? Stay tuned to the Oaks trail to find out!