Red-hot fillies clash in Davona Dale

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Among them, Girl With a Dream, Kathleen O., Outfoxed, and Classy Edition have won 11 races in a row. Which means something will have to give when the four talented 3-year-old fillies square off going a mile Saturday at Gulfstream Park in the $250,000 Davona Dale.

Girl With a Dream brings a three-race winning streak into the Grade 2 Davona Dale that includes a wire-to-wire, one-length triumph over the odds-on Radio Days in the Grade 3 Forward Gal here on Feb. 5. Trained by Brad Cox, Girl With a Dream earned a career-best 86 Beyer Speed Figure while stretching to seven furlongs for the first time in the Forward Gal, and projects as the one to catch once again on Saturday.

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“I originally thought about waiting for Keeneland to run her again, but she bounced out of her last win in such good order, I decided to send her back over there,” said Cox. “She’s got a run over the track and I believe she should handle a one-turn mile just fine. She’s a tough filly with a great record. . . . She should break running and I expect her to be on the lead. Ideally I’d like to see her three in front on a soft pace, although I’m not sure that’s going to happen.”

Kathleen O. is perfect in two starts. She followed up on a visually impressive last-to-first maiden win by dominating the one-mile Cash Run by 8 1/2 lengths here on New Year’s Day.

“I’m not one to run in a stakes off a maiden win, but the way she won her first start,” said trainer Shug McGaughey, adding he thought Kathleen O. was “spectacular” in the Cash Run.

Outfoxed, trained by Bill Mott, also brings a three-race winning streak into her graded stakes debut. After dominating Florida-bred competition in the final two legs of the filly division of the Florida Sire Series here last summer, Outfoxed moved into open company for the Gasparilla at Tampa on Jan. 15. She rallied to a game three-quarter-length decision over Goddess of Fire, who flattered the effort by returning to finish a close second five weeks later in the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra at Fair Grounds.

The 3-for-3 Classy Edition will step out of New York-bred company for the first time while launching her 3-year-old campaign in the Davona Dale. Classy Edition posted her three victories by a combined margin of 18 1/4 lengths. Her best effort was an eight-length victory at seven furlongs over a muddy strip in the Joseph A. Gimma Stakes at Belmont Park. She earned a Beyer Figure of 82.

Classy Edition has been training steadily and forwardly for trainer Todd Pletcher at Palm Beach Downs.

Also making their 3-year-old debut in the Davona Dale are Sweet Dani Girl, with two wins and a third in three starts, all at 2, and the stakes-placed Cocktail Moments. Longshot Mi Negrita completes the field.

The Davona Dale will offer 85 qualifying points for the Kentucky Oaks, with points distributed on a 50-20-10-5 scale.