Grace Hall to meet Yara once again in the Gulfstream Park Oaks
Peras International’s 3-year-old filly, Yara, was sent as the 64 to 1 long shot in her last race, the Grade 2 Davona Dale Stakes over a distance of 1 1/16 miles at Gulfstream Park’s dirt course on 25 February, 2012, where she against all odds downed the more accomplished, Grace Hall, in second and Captivating Lass in third, and posted a huge upset at Gulfstream Park.
Jose Garoffalo trained 3-year-old filly, Yara, is now pointed at the Grade 2, $300,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks on 31 March, 2012, to run over a distance of 1 1/8 miles, a race that has reeled in 8 three-year-old fillies.
The second and third of the Davona Dale Stakes, Grace Hall and Captivating Lass will be waiting for Yara in the Gulfstream Park Oaks to settle the score.
As a juvenile, the daughter of Put It Back, out of mare Ashlee’s Lady by Gilded Time, Yara raced exclusively at Calder race course, and turned in 4 starts, where she was able to bag two and finish fourth in the rest of the two starts.
She capped off her 2011 season with a win in the Joe O’Farrell Juv. Fillies at about seven furlongs, and she started off the new campaign with a fourth place finish in the Grade 2 Forward Gal Stakes at about seven furlongs to winner, Broadway’s Alibi at Gulfstream Park on 29 January, 2012.
“She worked good last Saturday (five furlongs in 1:02 at Calder) and will be much better for this race than she was for the last one,” said Venezuelan-born Garofallo. “She will like the extra half-furlong and the likely slower pace this time going a mile-and-an-eighth.”
On the other hand, Grace Hall in her seasonal debut, suffered an unexpected to loss in the Davona Dale Stakes, has been working steadily for her next start, as she turned in five furlongs in 1 minute and 1.30 seconds.
“She has trained really well since the Davona Dale,” said trainer Tony Dutrow. “We have her right where we want her to be for the Oaks. The only disappointment was she was a big favorite and she lost to a longshot. In the big picture, winning was the only thing she didn’t do, but that race was not the main objective. I think she ran great.”
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