Amen Hallelujah Takes Davona Dale Stakes
Each year three year old fillies line up in the starting gates at Gulfstream Park, in Florida, to participate in the Davona Dale Stakes. This Grade II event has a purse of $150 000 and was named after one of the racing greats of our time. Davona Dale was bred and owned by Calumet Farm in 1976, and is still remembered as one of the finest fillies to have graced the racing industry.
Retired to stud due to a tendon injury, Davona Dale was one of the few fillies that managed to grab the Triple Tiara, and won the Outstanding Three Year Old Filly Eclipse Award in 1979. She was also inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame and still ranks amongst the Top 100 Racehorses of the 20th Century in the Blood Horse Magazine. Today her legacy lives on in the horses competing in the Davona Dale Stakes, and this year, Amen Hallelujah clinched the title.
Trained by Richard Dutrow, Amen Hallelujah has won a number of her races, such as the Santa Ynez, which was held at the Santa Anita Racecourse. Dutrow had made the decision to rather race her on dirt tracks, even though she has performed well on synthetic surfaces, as she seems to be more comfortable on dirt. Ridden by jockey Julien Leparoux, Amen Hallelujah came up against a formidable field of contenders, and found herself in a nail-biting duel with Bickersons in the backstretch of the course. Getting into stride quite quickly with the help of her jockey, Amen Hallelujah was able to outlast Bickesons who had started to tire as they came up to the quarter pole. Amen Hallelujah was then able to surge ahead without any other threatening challenges to win the 2010 Davona Dale Stakes. Joanie’s Catch followed her home in second position, with Mambo Fever in third, Bickersons in forth, Sassy Image in fifth and Comic Marvel in sixth place. Amen Halleluja is out of Sara’s Success and sired by Montbrook. It seems that this magnificent filly has a wonderful career ahead of her if her recent performances are anything to go by, and everyone is looking forward to witnessing her next appearance.
