Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable, and Swilcan Stable's Vequist, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2020, emerged from her ninth-place finish in Saturday's $200,000 Davona Dale Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park in overall good order, according to trainer Butch Reid.
First or second in her four starts at 2, including wins in the Spinaway Stakes (G1) and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), the daughter of Nyquist was making her 3-year-old debut in the one-mile Davona Dale. She was within range of the leaders but faltered beginning on the turn and eased to the finish by jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.
"She came out of it really well," Reid said Sunday. "We did scope her after the race and she was a little dirty. She had some mucus in there and stuff that we can work with, and I think it definitely affected her performance a little bit. But, soundness-wise, she's great and is happy."
Wholebodemeister, previously third in the Jan. 30 Forward Gal Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream, shocked the Davona Dale at odds of 52-1, taking over the lead after a half-mile and going to a 6 1/2-length triumph.
Reid, who complimented Ortiz for taking care of Vequist late in the race when she was well beaten, said the connections will continue to monitor her in the coming days.
"We're going to keep looking at her and keep working her and fall back and regroup a little bit, that's all," Reid said.
