Dorth Vader (Miguel Vasquez 45-1), shadowed heavily flavoured, Red Carpet Ready, into the stretch before drawing away in Gulf Stream’s $200,000 Davona Dale.
This is a one-mile stakes for 3-year-old fillies, as a prep for the Oaks, and, later in Kentucky. Michael Yates, the conditioner, earned 50 points, ensured Dorth Vader a spot at Churchill Downs.
Red Carpet Ready (Luis Sayez evens), undefeated in three starts, set the pace for most of the journey until Dorth Vader loomed and lurched clear by 4.5 lengths, in 1:37:23 Guns n’ Graces closed from far back to finish second, 2¼ lengths ahead of the tiring Red Carpet Ready.
Emmanuel (Javier Castellano 6-5), finally found room to run smoothly in the $150,000 Canadian Turf, also at Gulfstream Park. Early on he found himself behind a wall of horses heading into the stretch, but Javier nipped through a tiny gap to match with Steady On (Irad Ortiz 6-4). This was Tod Pletcher’s third striker of the afternoon.
Al Dasim (Michael Barzelona 3-2), confirmed himself as a three-year-old sprinter ready to take high rank this season alongside peers, in the Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint at Meydan. Miqyas (Oliver Chavez 10-1), Thunder of Niagara (Richard Dawson 22-1), followed for places, in the fifteen-strong field.
It was a really good sprint. All horses were closely bunched, and Al Dasim’s time of 1:09:8/10, displays how fast the 1,200m was. In three weeks, everyone will return to Meydan for the richest-ever meeting.
