On Time Girl to Stretch Out to One-Mile in Gulfstream's Davona Dale

On Time Girl will attempt a one-turn mile in Gulfstream Park’s Grade 2 Davona Dale, a $225,000 race scheduled Feb. 28, after a commanding three-length victory in the seven-furlong Forward Gal on Jan. 31 that earned her 20 Kentucky Oaks points and matched a career-best Beyer of 82. The Albaugh Family Stables homebred drew the outside gate in post 9 and will again be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr.

Trainer Brad Cox has steadily stretched On Time Girl from sprints to route-influenced stakes, two wins and a second at 6 furlongs, a victory in the 6 1/2-furlong Fern Creek at Churchill Downs, then the Forward Gal at seven furlongs, and said the mile “might be something she’s able to do.” Cox’s plan to test the one-turn mile in the Davona Dale positions the filly on a prep path to the Gulfstream Park Oaks on March 28.

Pedigree underpins Cox’s reasoning. On Time Girl is a homebred by Not This Time out of Girl Daddy, an Uncle Mo mare who captured the one-mile Pocahontas (G3) and finished second in the 1 1/16-mile Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) in 2020. Not This Time won the Iroquois (G3) and was beaten a neck in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at 1 1/16 miles in 2016, races that advocates cite when stretching the filly to a mile.

Connections expressed measured optimism ahead of the Davona Dale. Albaugh Family Stables’ racing manager Jason Loutsch said, “We’re excited about the opportunity. We know she’ll run hard. Is it going to be good enough? We sure hope so. There hasn’t been a race where she’s thrown in a clunker yet, so we’re excited about it.” Ortiz, reflecting on the Forward Gal, described how he navigated traffic and how the filly “responded like a champion” while producing that three-length score.

The Davona Dale drew a field of nine that includes several progressive fillies who will test On Time Girl’s stamina and tactical speed. Imperatrice, second in the Forward Gal, returns from post 5 with John Velazquez named to ride. Calumet Farm homebred She Be Smooth, unbeaten in her Gulfstream debut over the one-turn mile on Jan. 23 by 2 1/4 lengths, will break from post 8 with Flavien Prat aboard; trainer Todd Pletcher said, “I thought she ran well last time. I feel like she’ll appreciate the added distance.” Swing Vote, trained by Bill Mott and breaking from post 7 with Junior Alvarado, was a close third in a Dec. 28 debut and then broke her maiden Jan. 24; Mott noted the “little stretch out” could suit her and reported recent breezes with Fountain of Youth contender Chief Wallabee.

The Davona Dale serves as the final steppingstone to the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2, 1 1/16 miles, March 28, $275,000), making it a key spot for fillies chasing Kentucky Oaks momentum. On Time Girl enters the one-mile test with four wins in five starts and a sequence of stakes wins that has quickly vaulted the Brad Cox trainee into the Florida division’s stakes picture. If she handles the mile from post 9, her connections will have a clear decision point ahead of the Gulfstream Park Oaks.