Bellafina Tops Busy Morning of Works at Oaklawn Park
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Photo: Coady Photography
Bellafina works a half-mile at Oaklawn Park on April 18
Millionaire grade 1 winner Bellafina completed major preparations for the April 25 Carousel Stakes for older female sprinters by working a sharp half-mile on a fast track April 18 at Oaklawn Park for trainer Simon Callaghan.
Breezing on a sunny, cool morning immediately after the surface renovation break, Bellafina went in :47 4/5 under Joe Talamo. Clockers caught the 4-year-old daughter of Quality Road with a final quarter-mile of :23 3/5 and galloping out five furlongs in 1:00 1/5.
"Unbelievable," Talamo said after getting on Bellafina for the first time. "Absolutely skipped over the track this morning."
Bellafina had been galloping since being flown Tuesday to Arkansas from her Southern California base.
Bellafina hasn't started since finishing second in the Dec. 28 La Brea Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park. Last year, Bellafina won the Santa Anita Oaks (G1), the Las Virgenes Stakes (G2), and the Santa Ynez Stakes (G2), all at Santa Anita. She also finished second, beaten three-quarters of a length by Covfefe, in the Nov. 2 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) at the same track.
"Believe me, I've watched her run quite a few times out there in California," said Talamo, previously based in Southern California. "She's nice—really nice."
Also working Saturday morning toward the Carousel was another millionaire grade 1 winner, Mia Mischief, trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen. Mia Mischief breezed a half-mile in :49 1/5.
Other Saturday workers included Eclipse award winner British Idiom and a trio of 2020 Oaklawn stakes winners—Shedaresthedevil, Silver Prospector, and Night Ops.
British Idiom covered a half-mile in :48 for trainer Brad Cox, and stablemate Shedaresthedevil went five furlongs in :59. Shedaresthedevil won the March 7 Honeybee Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies in her most recent start. British Idiom, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2019, and Shedaresthedevil are pointing for the May 1 Fantasy Stakes (G3).
Shedaresthedevil shared the bullet with Silver Prospector, an Asmussen trainee who is pointing for the May 2 Arkansas Derby (G1). Silver Prospector won the Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 17 at Oaklawn.
Night Ops worked a half-mile in :47 2/5 for Cox in advance of the May 2 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) for older horses. Night Ops won the listed Essex Handicap on March 14.