'Ivana' wins by a lot, but Cup iffy

MIAMI - Ivanavinalot left little doubt she is the dominant 2-year-old filly in south Florida this season after her lopsided 13 3/4-length victory over Stars Go Blue and six other overmatched rivals in Saturday's $400,000 .

Her winning margin was the largest in the 20-year-history of the Florida Stallion Series.

The win was the third in a row and fifth in six starts for Ivanavinalot, who was ranked among the leading candidates for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies coming into the My Dear Girl. She won the last two legs of the filly division of the Florida Stallion Stakes convincingly, with her only setback the result of a slow start in the opening leg, the six-furlong Desert Vixen.

"I never say no to anything, but it's not likely she'll go to the Breeders' Cup," said Gil Campbell, who owns and bred Ivanavinalot. "We'll see what the next few days bring, but she deserves a rest and we don't have to run her against those good horses right now. We can wait and meet them during her 3-year-old season."

Ivanavinalot set a relaxed pace under regular rider M.R. Cruz, while tracked by Fortunate Card for the opening six furlongs of the 1 1/16-mile My Dear Girl. She quickly drew away when roused into the stretch and increased her advantage under steady urging.

Stars Go Blue, a maiden coming into the race having finished fifth in her only previous start, trailed the field to the stretch, then came on strong to be second-best. Dakota Light lugged in, hampering her rider, through the stretch and checked in third, another 1 3/4 lengths back.

Ivanavinalot was the prohibitive 2-5 favorite and paid $2.80. Her final time was 1:45.92 seconds over a fast track..

"I feel very relieved," was trainer Kathleen O'Connell's first comment after the race. "She was coming into the race like a bear, and I expected her to do nothing but improve off her last race. It's great when a horse peaks when they are supposed to."

When asked about the Breeders' Cup, O'Connell said, "Ask the boss."