Sonata stays sharp with Davona Dale score

Cloverleaf Farm II's homebred BSHARPSONATA (Pulpit) rallied between horses in the lane and reeled in Robbie's Gal (Straight Man) to capture the $150,000 Davona Dale S. (GIII) over the fast main oval at Gulfstream Park on Sunday. The Timothy Salzman trainee broke well from the rail and was content to rate while saving ground through fractions of :22 4/5 and :45 1/5 for the opening four panels. Approaching the turn, the bay sophomore appeared to be outmoved while steadying slightly, but jockey Eric Camacho asked the classy miss for her best once clear and she responded, completing the one-mile feature in 1:37 4/5. The final margin on the line was two lengths, and the 5-2 second choice gave back $7.60, $3 and $2.40.

"I was really worried all the way down the backside," Salzman admitted. "She was shut off down inside behind horses, but the jock was so patient and rode just a tremendous race on her to wait until he got clear. He rides her with total confidence."

"I've been inside, outside and have had to split horses with this filly -- she can do anything," Camacho said. "Last time she won (in the Forward Gal S. [G2]), I said she could run on anything -- mud, turf, pavement. You can add rocks to that now."

Game Face (Menifee) loomed boldly on the turn but was noticeably tired late and could do no better than the place, good for $2.20 and $2.10 as the 3-5 favorite. The $1 exacta was worth $9.40. Early leader Robbie's Gal dispatched American County (Gibson County) on the backside and opened up a big edge turning for home and into the stretch, but faded late as the 17-1 longshot. The third-place finisher paid $4 and capped the $48.60 trifecta ($1) while a half-length shy of second. The $1 superfecta (1-4-6-2) was worth $122.90 with Informed Decision (Monarchos) another 12 1/2 lengths back in fourth, followed by J Z Warrior (Harlan's Holiday) and American County, who was eased in the latter stages.

Bsharpsonata has now won four races in succession, and five of her last six, to improve her earnings to $373,410. The bay miss earned her first stakes win in the Irish Sonnet S. in September, and following a fine fourth-place effort in the Epitome S. on Breeders' Cup weekend, the Florida-bred has since reeled off wins in the Selima S., Tropical Park Oaks and Forward Gal. Her career line stands at 9-6-0-0.

The winner is out of stakes heroine Apasionata Sonata (Affirmed) and is a half-sister to an unnamed two-year-old Giant's Causeway colt, an unnamed yearling colt by Smarty Jones, and an unnamed 2008 colt by First Samurai.

Salzman mentioned that the April 5 Ashland S. (G1) at Keeneland would be next on the agenda.