Under a patient ride form Eddie Castro, Daveron swept past the leaders in the stretch to capture the $200,000 Ballston Spa Stakes (gr. IIT) for her third consecutive victory Aug. 27 on the Saratoga turf (VIDEO).
Team Valor International’s razor sharp German-bred mare was the morning line favorite in the 1 1/16-mile test of fillies and mares, but went off as the fourth choice at overlaid odds of 9-2.
Trained by Graham Motion, the 6-year-old daughter of Black Sam Bellamy tallied by 1 3/4 lengths over pacesetting Tapitsfly while completing the distance in a solid 1:40.09 on a firm Mellon Turf Course.
“When things go right for her, she’s pretty impressive,” Motion said. “I don’t think she could have won any easier today. Eddie has done a great job with her. He’s really got her number and that’s been a huge part of her putting this streak together.”
Carlton Consultants bred Daveron, who was coming off a 2 1/4-length win in the Dr. James Penny Memorial Handicap at Parx Racing in Pennsylvania July 4. The chestnut is out of Darwinia, a daughter of Acatenango.
Daveron stalked in fourth as Tapitsfly took the early lead from Trix in the City and raced comfortably through sensible fractions of :23.52, :47.19, and 1:10.67. Tapitsfly, the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner in 2009, led Romacaca into the stretch as Daveron challenged on the outside at mid-stretch.
Daveron got control just past the sixteenth-pole, and there was no catching the powerfully-striding mare as she approached the wire under a couple of right-handed taps from Castro.
“She broke good and I put her right behind the speed,” Castro said. “She was really comfortable today. She’s a tough filly, too, even though she is small. She came to run today. I was covered up down the backside, and as we entered the stretch, I took her out and she ran on well.”
Tapitsfly, ridden by Robby Albarado, held off an all-out Romacaca and substitute jockey Paco Lopez by a half-length for second. Mekong Melody finished fourth, one length in front of Aviate, a narrow 5-2 favorite over Romacaca. Then came Desert Sage, Strike the Bell, and Trix in the City.
Since beginning her United States career in May 2010 after arriving from Germany, Daveron has won five of nine starts with two seconds. Her biggest win prior to the Ballston Spa came in the Beaugay Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Belmont Park to begin her current winning streak May 7.
She was previously trained by Christophe Clement before being switched to Motion last fall, and in Germany by Andreas Trybuhl.
“I think if she settles like that, she can go further,” Motion said. “I don’t think distance is really any issue. She’s bred to go further. She’s just very highly strung. That’s why we space her races out. Barry (Irwin) is so good and so patient with that, which makes it a lot easier for me.”
Daveron improved her career mark to 7-3-1 in 16 starts with earnings of $457,642.{jcomments on}
That would be Daveron! She was running today in the Ballston Spa Stakes (Grade II) at her favorite distance of 1 1/16 miles. Looked like she was lolling around in the gate as the assistant starter had to almost pick her up to get her balanced and focused. Eddie Castro has set up a great rapport with this filly and once she got around the last turn into the stretch and had someone challenging her you knew it was not going to be easy for anyone else. She loves a challenge and once that challenge had backed off she dug in to get the rest and once she got there she sailed by. This was her first try at the Grade II level after winning the Grade III Beaugay Stakes. She has plenty of time between her races and she is another ‘out back’ trainee! Congratulations to Team Valor International.