Yafa romps on Gulfstream turf at odds of 1/2

It isn’t often that a 2-year-old filly finishes second at odds of $13.90-1 in just her second start and makes such an impression that she is sent off at 1/2 in her next race. But that’s what happened yesterday with Yafa, a daughter of Handsome Mike bred by Troy Levy’s Tropical Racing and owned by his Circle 8 Ranch.

Yafa is the Jewish word for ‘beautiful,’ and there’s no other way to describe the filly’s maiden-breaking victory on the turf at Gulfstream Park. Ronnie Allen Jr. was aboard the filly in the one-mile race, and he was able to settle her in nicely in fourth place early, within short hailing distance of the two leaders. Down the backstretch, Allen urged Yafa closer to the pace, and when he revved her up coming to the turn, she coasted past the pace-setters and was comfortably in front as they hit the stretch.

As they headed down the lane, Yafa was widening her margin with every stride, and announcer Pete Aiello brought her home with “Yafa wins by as much as she wants,” which turned out to be eight lengths. She earned a check for $24,950 and raised her total to $36,950 after getting the mile in 1:37.12.

Yafa became Handsome Mike’s 30th winner of 2020 and the son of Scat Daddy is two away from siring the winners of 100 races.