With all eyes on returning champion Jaywalk (Cross Traffic), it was 51-1 longshot Jeltrin (Tapizar) who came flying late to just nip pacesetting Cookie Dough (Brethren) on the line in the GII Davona Dale S. at Gulfstream Park Saturday. Heavily favored Jaywalk tired to fourth after pressing the pace in her first race since winning the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies last November.
Jeltrin chased in third in the early stages as Cookie Dough set the pace through fractions of :24.21 and :47.41 with Jaywalk a menancing presence to her outside. Jaywalk looked poised to make her move turning for home, but quickly threw in the towel as Cookie Dough scampered clear into the lane. Jeltrin, who loomed a threat with a three-wide run on the far turn, rallied resolutely down the lane to reel in Cookie Dough in the shadow of the wire.
“I'm very happy, it's a good feeling–a dream,” said winning trainer Alexis Delgado. “We've been working for three months leading up to this race. Congratulations to my staff and to [jockey] Luis Saez, it was perfect today, what a great race. I was happy when they were coming down the stretch, it was three months of hard work all preparation for the Davona Dale, it was great.”
Saez added, “Everything came like we planned. We did well. I was right there and we hit the three-eighths [pole] and I started asking and she responded. When I saw I can beat the horse in front of me, I just tried so hard and we got it done.”
Trainer John Servis was pragmatic about Jaywalk's fourth-place effort.
“She just needed the race,” Servis said. “She just came up a little bit empty, that's all. She pulled up fine and looks fine. [Joel Rosario] didn't want to beat her up. I told him that if she comes up empty, don't beat her up. I thought she was tight enough, but obviously she wasn't. I'm not happy that she didn't win. I thought she'd win. Shame on me for thinking that she was good enough to beat these horses anyway, but she'll be fine. We've still got a few months until May.”
Jeltrin graduated in her second trip to the post, scoring a wire-to-wire eight-length victory over $50,000 maiden claimers going 6 1/2 furlongs at Gulfstream Park West Oct. 25 and she returned to finish third in a Dec. 12 optional claimer at Gulfstream Dec. 12. She opened 2019 with a fourth-place effort as a 63-1 outsider in the Jan. 5 Glitter Woman S. and was dismissed at 124-1 when fourth again in the Feb. 2 GIII Forward Gal S. last time out.
Pedigree Notes:
Juan Sanchez's C & J Stable purchased Jeltrin for $7,000 at the 2017 Keeneland September sale. The filly RNA'd for $27,000 after working a furlong in :10 flat at last year's OBS April sale.
The winner's dam, Song to the Moon, is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes placed Tap for Luck (Tapit) and produced colts by sons of Tapit the last two years: Tapiture in 2017 and Anchor Down in 2018. She was bred back to American Freedom–a son of Tapit's sire Pulpit–last year. The Tapiture 2-year-old sold for $20,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton October Yearling Sale.
Tapizar (Tapit), sire of last year's GI Kentucky Oaks winner and champion 3-year-old filly Monomoy Girl, has now sired three graded stakes winners from his four crops to race.
Saturday, Gulfstream Park
DAVONA DALE S.-GII, $200,000, Gulfstream, 3-2, 3yo, f, 1m, 1:36.83, ft.
1–JELTRIN, 116, f, 3, by Tapizar
1st Dam: Song to the Moon, by Successful Appeal
2nd Dam: Foxy Friend, by Crafty Friend
3rd Dam: Gerri n Jo Go, by Top Command
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($7,000 Ylg
'17 KEESEP; $27,000 RNA 2yo '18 OBSAPR). O-ADR Racing
Stable, LLC; B-C. Kidder, N. Cole & J. K. & Linda Griggs (KY);
T-Alexis Delgado; J-Luis Saez. $121,520. Lifetime Record:
6-2-1-1, $158,588. Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Cookie Dough, 121, f, 3, Brethren–Brooke's Valentine, by
Fusaichi Pegasus. O/B-Arindel (FL); T-Stanley I. Gold. $39,200.
3–Champagne Anyone, 116, f, 3, Street Sense–Lucevan, by
Ghostzapper. ($70,000 Ylg '17 KEESEP). O-Six Column Stables,
LLC & Randall L. Bloch; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings
LLC (KY); T-Ian R. Wilkes. $19,600.
Margins: HD, 4HF, 1. Odds: 51.50, 13.00, 9.00.
Also Ran: Jaywalk, Bold Script, Another Time, High Regard. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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