Ivanavinalot Is Hot

Only six 3-year-old fillies are scheduled to run in the $150,000 Davona Dale today at Gulfstream Park, but it’s still a very interesting Grade II race.

The most accomplished member of the field is Ivanavinalot. A 3-year-old daughter of West Acre, who is a son of Forty Nine, Ivanavinalot has won five of seven starts for owner-breeder Gil Campbell and trainer Kathleen O’Connell.

Forced to miss the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies last fall because of injury, the Florida-bred returned in the $250,000 Sunshine Million Oaks last month at Santa Anita. In her first race at a track other than Calder, she had to settle for second, beaten by 1 1/2 lengths by the rapidly improving Atlantic Ocean.

Since returning to Florida, Ivanavinalot had a bullet drill at Calder and is stretching out to a distance (1 1/16 miles) at which she is perfect in two tries. Manoel Cruz will again ride.

My Boston Gal and Perfect Story are her main rivals. Owned by a partnership and trained by Carl Nafzger, My Boston Gal was unbeaten in three races as a 2-year-old but has been idle since winning the Golden Rod, a Grade II, last Nov. 30 at Churchill Downs.

A half-sister to 2001 Preakness and Belmont Stakes winner Point Given, Perfect Story has won three of five for owner John Oxley and trainer John Ward. The Davona Dale will be her first start in a graded stakes.

Race of the day: Apalachian Thunder, who won impressively in his second start for trainer Bob Baffert, will shorten up and switch to the turf in today’s $100,000 Baldwin Stakes at about 6 1/2 furlongs. Thirteen other 3-year-olds entered the race, the eighth of nine at Santa Anita.

Who’s hot: Jason Lumpkins. The jockey has been dominant at Turfway Park in Kentucky, winning with about 35% of his mounts.

Who’s not: William Cox. The trainer, who was 2 for 118 in 2002, is 0 for 21 this year.

Exotically speaking: A pick three using Class Of Glass and Beautiful Navona in the second, single Belleski in the third and Suave Meteorite, Gobi Dan and Rehabilitated in the fourth.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 2/114. Money: Previous day/meet total: $9.20/$669.40. Total money bet: $752.